My New Life
by SapphireJ
Summary: Steph returns to Trenton after being gone for four years.  This is her story of her new life.  Rated for everything possible.  Please, if you've read this before, don't give away the ending.
1. Coming Home

_If you recognize them, they aren't mine. This is a repost of one of my original stories... there has been some editing done to it, but only to make it read better. Any and all mistakes are still mine. IF you have read this before, please, please, please, do not give away the story or what happens so that the new readers have the same experience you did the first time this was posted. Thank you all!_

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><p><strong>My New Life<br>Coming Home  
>SapphireJ<strong>

I've been out of Trenton for the past 4 years. After my divorce from the Dickhead, I moved to Sedona, Arizona to get away from everyone. I wanted to start my life over and knew I couldn't do it anywhere near Trenton. While in Sedona, I met some pretty nice guys that were Native American ex-SEALs, and turned out to be the best big brothers ever. Because of them and their training, I'm in better shape than I've ever been in my entire life. Not only did they get me in shape, but they also taught me some hand to hand combat moves to protect myself. I now also carry at least one gun and a knife at all times. I guess you could say I am a new woman.

I moved back to Trenton last week. After seeing my family and friends and guaranteeing them I'm fine, I decided it was time for a job. I knew my cousin, Vinnie, owned a bonds office, so I figured he could give me a job. I don't care that I had to blackmail him for it; it's a job and I need money to pay my mortgage. Oh, did I mention I purchased an actual house?

I got out of the shower, dried off, and dressed in my jeans, white button down shirt, and doc martens. I grabbed my keys, gun, knife, and phone and headed off to the office. Connie is Vinnie's secretary and I've known her since high school. Vinnie also has a filing clerk, Lula. Let's just say she's a one of a kind… at least I hope she's one of a kind. She is sweet and not what I would expect for an ex-ho. I think we'll get along just fine.

I walked into the office and saw Connie and Lula eating donuts. I decided I could have one; it's been a long time since I indulged. Ohmigod, it tastes so good. I might just have to have one a day; I can always add an extra mile to my morning run.

Connie started painting her nails; she has such a hard job. "So Steph, are you back for good?"

"Yes. I don't know why, but I figured it was time to come home. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Sedona and the guys I worked with; can you say HOT! I've invited them to come out here sometime, so hopefully they will."

Connie stopped doing her nails and stared out the door. "Speaking of Hot, looks like it's your luck day Steph. Here come two of Trenton's hottest!"

I turned around to see what she was talking about and ran myself into a brick wall. "Oh, sorry." I looked up into the most stunning green eyes ever.

"Hey there, Beautiful!" _Oh god, Mr. Green Eyes has a bedroom voice_. "Well, I've never heard my voice described like that, but I like it." He was smiling and wagging his eyebrows.

"Damn, I thought I had that fixed." I swear my cheeks were red as fire. "Um, hi. I'm Stephanie. I go by Stephanie, Steph or One Shot."

"Hello, Stephanie. I'm Lester. Very, very nice to meet you." I could feel his eyes looking me up and down.

Connie saw Lester looking at me and winked. "Hey Lester. Steph here just got back in Trenton last week and tarted working here today. Think you can take her around and show her how to pick up a few skips; you know, show her the ropes?"

"You a bounty hunter, Baby?"

I don't know why he's calling me Beautiful and Baby, but I kind of like it. Not that I would let anyone else get away with it. "Yeah. I needed a job and blackmailed my cousin into giving me this one. I need money to pay the mortgage and get food. When do we start?"

"You got a gun and cuffs?" Lester was looking me over trying to find a gun.

"Yes and no. I have a gun and a knife, but no cuffs. I have a permit to carry concealed, too. Where do I get cuffs?" _And can I use them on you? Damn, I hope that wasn't out loud_.

"Come with us, and I'll get you a pair. Oh, I'm sorry, this is Tank. Do you want to ride with us or follow?" Damn, Tank is the biggest man I've ever seen. I don't have to wonder how he got his name! I see he can't keep his eyes off of Lula.

"Well, if you are going to show me the ropes, I guess I need to ride with you guys. Connie, can I leave my car here until later?"

"Sure thing Steph." Just then Connie's phone rang. "Plum Bail Bonds. May I help you?...oh, hello Mrs. Plum…"Connie looked at me and I mouthed 'I'm not here' "Oh, no Mrs. Plum, I'm sorry, she left just a few minutes ago…okay, I will. Good bye Mrs. Plum."

"Thank you, Connie. I do not want to talk to her right now. Lester, Tank, are you two ready?" I needed to get out of here before she called again.

"Sure thing Beautiful. Let's roll." We walked out to a black SUV. Lester opened the passenger door for me to get in, Tank went to the driver side, and Lester climbed in the back. "Beautiful, you said you went by Stephanie, Steph and One Shot. Steph I get. How did you get One Shot?"

"Long story. Maybe some night I'll tell you." I don't know why, but I really starting to like this guy. But with my luck, he has a girlfriend or wife.

We headed to an underground garage and got out. Tank took off in one direction and Lester lead me to another. We ended up in a gun range. "You have your own gun range?"

"Well, it isn't mine, but yeah. Ranger owns RangeMan; the building we're in. We do security work and pick up Vinnie's high bond FTAs. We have to stay in shape, so we have a gym and gun range. We're required to have four hours of range time and five hours of gym time a week." He opened a drawer and took out a pair of cuffs and keys. "Here, you can have these for now."

I looked at them and stuck them in my back pocket. "Now, before I can take you out, I need to see you shoot. Do you have your gun on you?"

I reached around to my back and pulled it out of my waist. "You tell me where to shoot, and I'll hit it." I put on the goggles and earplugs. Lester hit the button and the paper target went to twenty yards out.

"How many targets do you want at once?"

I looked at him again. "Like I said, you tell me where to shoot and I'll hit it. However many you want."

He thought for a minute and finally smiled. "Heart, left knee, forehead between the eyes and right wrist."

I could tell he didn't think I could do it. Boy was he wrong. Four shots later, he pulled paper target in. To say he had a shocked look on his face would be an understatement. I had hit all four places he said and only used the four bullets.

"Damn!" He thought for a minute and pulled up a new paper target. This one was just a standard bullseye. "I want you to put six rounds in the center only." I did and he pulled the target in and studied it. He shook his head and smiled. I think he figured it out. "This is how you got the name 'One Shot' huh?"

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. "I had excellent trainers. They wanted a special name for me and that's what they came up with. I like it, so I kept it. In Sedona, I'm not known as Stephanie or Steph, just One Shot. "

"Damn, Baby, remind me not to piss you off." He took the targets with him and led us out of the range. We walked across the garage towards where Tank had gone. Lester slipped his arm around my shoulders and I tensed up. Noticing immediately, he pulled his arm away. "Sorry, didn't mean to invade your space, Beautiful."

I sighed and kept walking with him. I was use to my brothers invading my space, but that was all. I don't like it when others touch me; it brings back too many painful memories. We got near the SUV and Lester took out his phone and called someone. "You riding... no… surveillance… garage."

"Man of many words I see." I had to tease him, I just couldn't help it. A few minutes later, I saw another muscle bound hunk walk out of the elevator and come over towards us.

Lester came up next to me, but didn't touch me. "Bobby, meet Stephanie, or One Shot. Steph, this is Bobby. He is my partner and our company medic."

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><p><em>tbc... If you're a first time reader, let me know what you thought of it... if you've read it before, let me know if you still like it ;)<em>


	2. Time to Talk

Thank you all for the reviews. I'm glad the new readers are enjoying and that those of you reading this for a second (or more) time still like it. I'm making a few modifications to each chapter, but nothing major. So, without further hesitation, here is chapter 2.

**My New Life  
><strong>**Time to Talk  
>SapphireJ<strong>

Lester, Bobby, and I sat in the Expedition for four hours doing surveillance work. Boring as hell let me tell you. But, I did get to learn a few things out while there. I guess they were in the Rangers together; along with a few other guys; Ram, Tank, Ranger, Hal, and Cal. Ranger is the "leader" and their boss. He also owns RangeMan and lives on the seventh floor of the building. The fourth floor is where most of the rest of them live. Lester said he'd give me a tour of the place soon. Ranger, is "in the wind". When I asked what that meant, they just said that he still does government jobs and he is currently unavailable.

Finally after the surveillance, we went back to the garage and dropped off Bobby. Lester had to take me back to the bonds office to get my car. When we got back to my car, I got out and walked over. Lester rolled down his window to talk, "Hey Steph, would you mind having dinner with me tonight? I like talking with you and honestly, I'm not ready to stop."

I thought about it and I decided I didn't want to stop talking with him either. "Why don't you follow me back to my place? I put dinner in the slow cooker this morning, and it should be done."

Lester thought about it for a minute and agreed, "I'll follow you." We made it back to my house and I let us in. I gave Lester the quick tour and we ended in the kitchen. I took out some plates, glasses, and silverware. Lester took them from me and set the table. "I hope you like lasagna." I forgot to tell him what I had made.

"I love lasagna. What else can I do to help?" We finished getting the table set, got drinks, and started to eat. We ate in comfortable silence and when we were done, Lester helped me load the dishes into the dishwasher. Wow, a man who isn't afraid to step into the kitchen and help!

We moved to the living room and sat down on opposite ends of the couch. Sitting Indian Style, I turned to face him.

"So, are you originally from Trenton?" Lester was running his fingers around the rim of his glass.

"Yes, born and raised. Got married, found him screwing a bitch on our dining room table before the ink was dried on our marriage license, divorced him, and moved to Arizona for four years." I figured he would have been asking about my life sooner or later, so I'd just get it out there.

"Well, I, for one, am glad you came back. I think we are going to get along wonderfully." He smiled at me and my heart melted. I love his smile.

"What about you? Are you from around here?" I figured if he was asking, I could as well.

"No. I was born and raised in Maine. I went into the Army at 18. After that I went to the Rangers and met most of the rest of the guys. Ranger and I are cousins and grew up together. When we got out, we all stuck with Ranger and he started RangeMan. Once he had the Miami office running, we moved here and started this one. He has two other offices, but most of us stayed at this one."

My phone rang and I really didn't want to answer it. I was fine letting it go to the answering machine, until I heard the voice. "Aaniin, One Shot." _Shit, I need to take that_. "Excuse me, Lester, I really need to take this call."

"Aaniin, Raven. How are you?" Raven was one of my brothers in Arizona.

"Am good. We miss you, but are glad you went home. I wanted to see how things were going."

"Things are well. I have company right now, Rave. Can I call you back later?" I really wanted to talk to him, but I didn't want to ignore Lester.

"Of course, although I expect full disclosure of whom he is and how you met him." I could hear Eagle and Panther laughing in the background. I should have known they were near.

"I will. Tell the others I said hi. I love you and I'll call later." I hung up and had a smile on my face.

I looked over at Lester and could see a little worry in his eyes, but he had a smile. "Boyfriend?"

"No, one of my three brothers from Arizona. They call every day to check on me."

Lester and I sat and talked until we realized it was two in the morning. We were both exhausted and I wasn't sure he'd make it back to his apartment without falling asleep. "Lester, why don't you stay here tonight? I have a spare bedroom that you can use."

"Are you sure, Steph? I think I can make it back to Haywood." He couldn't hide his yawn and his eyes were so heavy.

I pulled him up and showed him the spare bedroom. I made sure he had he had a new toothbrush and then I went to my bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. I awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh brewed coffee. Slipping on my robe, I walked downstairs to the kitchen and saw Lester was there with a fresh cup waiting for me. 'Mmmm, thank you! You are a morning God!"

Lester quickly kissed me on my forehead and backed up. "Thanks for letting me crash here last night. I enjoyed dinner and had a wonderful time talking with you." He took a sip of his coffee and set his cup down. He put his hands on the counter on either side of me, effectively trapping me between him and the kitchen counter. Tensing up, I felt my heart rate increase. I couldn't look at him, so I looked down at the floor. He noticed and immediately moved his hands. "Steph, I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. Please look at me."

I lifted my gaze and stared into his beautiful green eyes. "I'm sorry, Lester. I need to get ready for work. I'm sure you need to go get ready as well." I smiled, but my heart was still racing.

Lester nodded and headed towards the door. "I hope to see you later, Beautiful. Have a great day."

"Me too." I locked the door after he left and raced for my room. I hoped in the shower and let the tears fall. When will it get better? How much longer am I going to flinch and tense anytime someone tries to touch me? I hate this. The tears flowed freely and I stayed in the shower until the water was cold. Time to get ready for the day. Maybe I do need to talk to someone, maybe, just maybe, it will help. I reached for my phone and called the only person who I could talk to.

"Hello."

"Hey Mare. I need a friend."

Hearing that I'd been crying, she answered, "I'm on my way sweetie. Be there in ten."

OoOoOoOo

Ten minutes later, there was a knock at my door and Mary Lou walked in. She came over, gave me a hug, and just held me until I stopped crying. "Now, tell me what is going on. I've got all day, Len has the kids."

"Mare, I'm going to tell you what no one else knows. The reason I went to Arizona and what happened there. This is not to be repeated to anyone, okay?" I saw her nod her head. We both settled down on the couch for a long talk.

"Mare, after the divorce from Dickie, I went to see my mom. As usual, it was my fault that I had a failed marriage. I couldn't keep Dickie happy, so he had to step outside the marriage. I couldn't take my mother's bitching anymore. I didn't have a reason to stay here. I told my dad where I was going. I knew he had a few friends in Arizona that I could stay with. Once I got there, I felt free. Free of my mother's ranting. I was able to live my own life. I made a few friends and after about eight months there, I started dating a guy named Erik. Things were fine for a while. We were always out together, dinner, dancing, movies, etc."

"One night, Erik and I went to a bar with some friends. We had a wonderful night. We did a lot of dancing, had some awesome food and I had a few drinks. Erik drank a lot, but that was nothing unusual. After we closed the bar, we headed back to my place; he was going to drop me off. He walked me to my apartment and followed me in for a minute."

"He usually came in for a bottle of water. After he grabbed his water, he started kissing me. It was nice at first, but then it got rough. His hands were gripping me and hurting. I tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen. He threw me against the wall and his body was pressed into me so much I could barely breathe."

"His hands were roaming my body; he was pinching, squeezing, anything he could and it hurt. I told him to stop, but again, he wouldn't listen. I slapped him but that only angered him. He threw me across the room and ripped my clothes off of me and proceeded to rape me. After he was done, he carried me into my bedroom, laid me on the bed and tied me up. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream; he had me gagged. All I could do was lay there and let him do what he wanted. He raped me two more times that night before he passed out."

"When he woke the next morning, he untied me and got himself dressed. He left like nothing happened. I couldn't believe what had happened. I got up and took a shower. I scrubbed myself as hard as I could. When I was done, I went to my kitchen and there was Erik's brother, Eagle."

"He said he'd just seen Erik and he didn't look normal, so he stopped by my place to see what had happened. He took one look at me and knew what had gone on. He said he could see the bruises on my face, so he looked at my arms and saw the marks from the rope. He reached out for me and I flinched. I had never flinched from him before."

"He called his best friends, Raven and Panther. They came over and talked to me. I refused to file charges because then everyone would know what happened and I would be the talk of the town, just like here. I couldn't take that. They took me to the reservation and said they wanted to help me. Eagle disowned Erik and wouldn't talk to him anymore. I stayed on the reservation for three years. They taught me how to protect myself. I know how to use a gun. Hell, I can hit my target each and every time, no matter what type of gun you give me. Same with knives."

I got up to get something to drink for us both. I was reliving part of my life I had tried for so long to get over. I knew that I needed to talk about this or my life would never be my own again. Sitting back down on the couch, I continued talking to Mare.

"Panther taught me some moves to take down an attacker. He put me in so many different positions and holds and told me I had to get out. It took a long time, but I finally was able to get myself out of any situation the guys threw at me. After a while, the guys started 'attacking' me in public. I never knew when they were going to try something, so I was always on alert."

"The first two times, I was spooked and they took me down, but after that I learned how to keep alert at all times. They never got me in a vehicle again. Raven was the one that worked with me the most on hand-to-hand training. Once I got to the point that I could take Raven down, they started throwing other people at me. Then they started in with two against one and three against one. I went through Hell and back, but I can finally take care of myself."

I took a deep breath, now was the part no one knew about. Well, one other person knew, but that was it.

"Mare, after the guys told me that there was nothing really left for them to teach me, that I needed to just keep practicing, I left the reservation. I knew it was time to come home, but before I could fully come home, I had to take care of one last thing."

"I went to Phoenix and found Erik. He wasn't expecting me; it had been three years. I found him at a bar and he was pretty much trashed. I went up to him and he looked like he had seen a ghost. The color all but drained from his body. I had dressed up with the expectation of leading him from the bar. I didn't need any witnesses. I sat down next to him and ordered a drink."

"His hand found its way to my thigh and I fought hard to keep from flinching. He leaned over and whispered in my ear 'Hey Sugar, looking for some more of my lovin?' I plastered a smile on my face and forced myself to kiss his cheek and whisper back that I needed him. He led me out the door of the bar and we walked to the back of the parking lot where his car was. He shoved me up against it and started to kiss me while his hands roamed. I could feel how hard he was and told him that I couldn't wait, I needed him then."

"He moved his hands to his pants and I reached down to my ankle. As he pulled himself out of his pants, I had my knife in my hand. He looked at my hands and started to laugh. 'Oh, you want to play rough, bitch? I can play rough.' He reached to pull my skirt up, but I was faster. I sliced his dick length wise with my knife."

"I know it was deep, there was blood everywhere. He fell down and started to scream. I left him. I turned around, calmly walked to my car and drove to the airport. I caught my flight and came home. I have no idea what happened to him or if he is alright."

I took another deep breath and looked at Mare's face. I saw nothing but love and compassion on her face. She wasn't judging me. I knew she wouldn't, I knew she was my best friend for a reason. She would have helped me hide the body if I needed her to.

"Steph. I… I don't know what to say. I'm sorry you were violated like that. I'm sorry I wasn't there." I started to say something, but she continued. "I'm really sorry I wasn't there to see his face when you sliced him. Damn, I would have given anything to see that." All the sudden she was rolling on the floor laughing and holding her sides. She had tears coming out she was laughing so hard. Finally, she got herself under control and gave me a hug. "I love you, Steph. It is great to have you back home."

Mare and I talked some more and caught up on each other's life. I told her about my new job and Lester and Bobby. I didn't tell her Lester stayed the night, she would have wanted details even though there were none. She left about five hours later and I was ready for a nap. I walked upstairs and crawled in bed, dead to the world. I'll go to work tomorrow.

**_tbc ~ more later this week._**


	3. Dinner for Four

Thank you for the reviews. I appreciate it. You know the deal... if you know them, they aren't mine. No money being made, just happy readers.

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><p><strong>My New Life<br>Dinner for Four  
>SapphireJ<strong>

I went to work every day after my talk with Mare. I always saw Lester at the bonds office and he and I had dinner at least two to three times a week. We would talk about anything; his life, my life, his time in the Rangers, my time in Arizona. The only thing I kept from his was what happened with Erik.

About three weeks later, I was in the bonds office picking up my files. Connie and I were talking, but all the sudden she stopped. I looked behind me and saw the reason.

"Hey, Beautiful." Lester came up and kissed my cheek. With spending so much time with him, I was getting more and more comfortable and didn't flinch when he'd touch me.

"Morning, Lester. Morning Bobby."

"Connie, any files for RangeMan?" Seemed like Lester was the only one picking up files anymore. I secretly wondered if he was doing that just to run into me.

"Nope, sorry. No high bonds seem to be skipping this week." I swear one of these days Connie is going to faint at the sight of these guys.

"No problem. Steph, can I talk to you outside for a few minutes, please?" Lester led me outside to the truck. "Steph, remember when I told you that me and some of the guys are still contracted to the government?"

"Yeah, you said you get called, have to leave and never know when you are coming back. Why?"

"Baby, I got called last night along with two of the other guys." He watched my reaction, but I honestly don't know what he was looking for.

"Who? When do you leave?" I was use to this type of life from my friends. It use to bother me, but I've grown accustomed to it.

"Me, Ram and Vince. We're to be at the airport at 2200 hours tonight. I don't know how long we'll be gone and we won't have any communications." Lester actually looked a little sad about leaving.

Thinking for a moment, I asked him, "What time to you get off work today?" I had a plan, but needed to know if I had time.

"I get off at 1400 hours. Why?"

"Come to my place for dinner? Have your stuff packed so that you can leave from my house." I hoped he'd take me up on it.

"Sure thing, Beautiful."

"Hey, do Ram or Vince have anyone to go see tonight or do you think they'd like to come for dinner as well?"

"I'll call, ask them and get back to you. How's that?" He scooted closer to me against the truck and slipped an arm around my shoulders. It felt nice to have his arm there; safe and comfortable.

"Ok. I have to go get Mooner, so just call me when you know. I need to go before the next marathon starts. You'll call me soon?"

"Yeah Baby, I'll call you soon. Have fun with Mooner." He smiled, leaned down, and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips, then pulled back.

"Bye." I walked towards my car with my fingers running across my lips. I couldn't believe he kissed me and I didn't even think twice about it. I saw Bobby walking across the lot so I waved at him. "Bye, Bobby."

"See ya, One Shot."

I went and picked up McDonald's for Mooner and showed up just as "Bewitched" was ending. "Hey, Mooner. I have lunch for you and you forgot you court date."

"Seriously dudette? I swear I had it written down." Mooner began looking everywhere for a piece of paper.

"Yeah, come on. I'll call Connie on the way and she can meet us there. I'll have you back home in no time."

"Cool, thanks." Mooner dug into the food and was quiet the whole trip.

Once he was re-bonded, I took him back home. On the way, my phone rang. I saw the display and knew who it was.

"Hey, Lester. Got some good news for me?"

"Sure thing, Beautiful. Ram and Vince have no family to go see and were just planning on having food at the office. I told them they were invited to your place and they said as long as they are not imposing, they'd like to come."

"They're not imposing; I invited the three of you. I'm taking Mooner back home and then I'll head to my house. Make sure the three of you come with everything you need to leave from my place."

"OK, we should be there in about an hour that okay?" Lester sounded hesitant, like he couldn't believe I was having them over for dinner.

"That is perfect. I'll see you guys then. Bye."

I got Mooner back home and headed to my place. Time to get some food cooked for the guys.

I got home and started preparing dinner. I made Onion Chicken, green bean casserole, steamed carrots, homemade mashed potatoes, crescent rolls and strawberry cheesecake for dinner.

I had just gotten dressed in my jeans and white button up shirt when the door bell rang.

"Hey guys, come on in." Opening the door, I stepped aside. Vince and Ram walked in followed by Lester. He leaned down and gave me a kiss on my cheek as he walked by.

"Wow. Steph , this place looks nice. Do we get a tour?" I didn't think Ram's eyes could get any bigger.

"Sure, if Lester will give you one. I need to check a few things in the kitchen. Les, do you mind?"

He shrugged his shoulders and off they went. They finally ended up in the kitchen just as dinner was ready.

Vince looked at me and smiled. "Need help with anything?"

"Nope, I have it all covered. Why don't you three go have a seat at the table and I'll bring it out."

I took the food out, set it on the table, and told the guys to dig in. Didn't have to tell them twice!

"Damn, Steph. This tastes wonderful, but you seriously didn't have to do this for us." Ram was shoveling food faster than he was talking.

"It was no problem guys. I wanted to give you a decent meal before you left. I know that you guys have Ella at the office, but I figured you'd be eating alone in your apartments. This way, I get to enjoy your company, maybe get to know a little more about you and you get a decent meal. I felt bad that none of you really have family around here to see you off." I looked at each of them and saw amazement in their eyes. They really were shocked that I wanted to do this for them.

"Thank you, Steph. This really is nice. I forgot what it was like to have a meal with family and friends. It has been a long time since anyone has done anything like this for me." Vince got up and kissed me on the top of my head. I tried not to flinch, but I did and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Sorry, Vince." I was ashamed that I flinched. Here I was trying to be friends with these guys and show them that someone cares, and then I go and do that.

"No problem, sweetie. I didn't mean to scare you." He looked a little sad as he sat back down.

"You didn't scare me. I just have some past issues that I'm trying to work on. I have my good days and I have my bad days." I tried to smile at him to let him know I was okay. It must have worked because he winked at me and kept eating.

After dinner was done, they guys put the dishes in the dishwasher telling me it was the least they could do. They had about three hours until they needed to leave for the airport and I really didn't want them to go, but knew they had to.

We spent the rest of the time talking, telling jokes, and just relaxing. They really are awesome guys once you get to know them. Before we knew it, it was time for them to load up and head out. I walked them to the SUV and before I knew it, I was giving them each a hug good bye. I told them to be careful and stay safe.

"When you guys get back, let me know and we will do this again. A welcome home dinner. OK?"

"Sure thing Beautiful. I think we'd like that." Lester was the last one to get in the SUV and he walked me around the back. "Thank you, Steph, for everything you've done tonight. You didn't have to do any of this, but you made us feel human, special, and like someone really cares about us."

"I do care. I care about all you guys, and I care about you, Lester. Please, be safe and come back."

"I will, beautiful. I have someone to come back to this time." He leaned down and slowly brought his lips to mine. He started out soft and gentle, but I wound my hands in his hair and pulled him into me deepening the kiss. When we pulled away from each other, we were both breathing hard and fast. "Oh yeah, I definitely have someone to come home to." He kissed me quickly and walked around to the driver side.

"Be safe guys and come home soon."

"Thanks again for tonight, One Shot. It really meant a lot to us." Ram waved out the back.

"I'll see you soon, Baby." Lester got in, shut the door, and took off for the airport. I stood there watching until I could no longer see the tail lights, then I started to wonder…Why does it feel like part of my heart just left?

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><p><em>tbc... hit the review link and let me know ;)<em>


	4. Jobs on the Rise

**My New Life  
>Jobs on the Rise<br>SapphireJ**

_If you know them, they are not mine!_

OoOoOoOo

Lester, Ram and Vince left on Friday night and I missed spending my dinner with Lester on Sunday. I had really started looking forward to that. My weekend went by fast while spending time with Lula. We shopped, shopped, and shopped some more.

Monday morning came all too soon. I stopped at the bonds office and noticed a black SUV in the parking lot. My heart skipped a beat at first sight, but then I remembered it would be someone else, not Lester.

I walked in and saw Tank sitting on the couch with Lula while Connie was doing her nails. "Hey Steph," said Tank. "How was your weekend?" Tank knew I was missing my time with Lester, he had called me on Saturday to check on me.

"I'm good, Tank. Thanks. It isn't like I didn't know that he'd be leaving sometime. I'm just glad that he and the guys got to come over for dinner before they left."

Vinnie's door opened and a man dressed in all black with mirrored sunglasses stepped out.

Connie started fanning herself. I rolled my eyes and had to suppress a laugh. "Let me guess, you must be Ranger." I saw him almost nod. "Yep, you're Ranger… the man of many words." I turned to Connie and rolled my eyes again. "Connie, any files for me?"

"Nope, not a one Steph. Sorry."

"No problem. I'm off then. I've got range time at On Target. I'll have my cell on if you need me." I started to walk out of the door when Ranger caught up to me. He walked out to my car with me. "Something I can do for you?"

"Babe."

What the fuck? What did he just say? I saw Tank following behind us and he was smirking. "Excuse me? My name is Stephanie. I'll answer to Stephanie, Steph and One Shot, but _nothing_ else." I glared at him daring him to call me something else.

Tank coughed to cover his laugh. "Steph, you forgot two more names; Beautiful and Baby."

"Tank," I yelled, glaring at the big black man, "Those last two are reserved for Lester and Lester _only_!" I can't believe he just said those. I'll kill him. I saw Ranger's eye brow go up. I was amusing him.

"So, you're the one." Ranger looked at me and almost grinned before walking over to his Turbo and sliding in.

I hopped in my SUV and took off for the gun range.

OoOoOoOo

Lester has been gone for three weeks now. I've proven my skills to Ranger and he has offered me a position within his company. If I accept it, I'll be partnered up with Ram once the guys get back. I'm seriously considering taking the job. It would be a steady income, benefits and I'd have use of the gun range and gym. Plus I'd get to work around totally hot men all day long. What is not to like about that?

I needed more information about what exactly I'd be doing, so I walked into Ranger's office.

"What exactly would my job be?"

Ranger looked up, evidently surprised that anyone dared to walk in without announcing themselves first. He put his pencil down on the desk and looked at the chair across from him, motioning me to sit.

"Well, you would be doing searches on FTA's, potential customers, and new employees. You would be in the field helping on stakeouts and takedowns. There are times when we need a distraction to lure a skip out of a bar, you'd be the distractions. RangeMan would pay for all clothing for the job and distractions." Ranger was leaned back in his chair with his fingers steepled under his chin.

"What would my hours be? What about benefits?"

"Hours change. We rotate everyone through all shifts. Medical, Dental, Vision all covered at one hundred percent. 401k. You'd have a company vehicle and phone at your disposal. If a need came up and there were availability, you would have an apartment on the fourth floor, with that comes Ella's cooking and cleaning."

"What is your policy on co-workers dating?" I know Lester and I aren't really dating, just spending time to get to know each other, but I needed to know that if things progressed, there wouldn't be a problem.

"Well, seeing as how all of my employees, except Ella, are male, we've never had a problem with this before. I will say this; you and Lester will not be partnered up. He will most likely be there when we do distractions and takedowns. During those times, you two are to act like co-workers, nothing else."

"Understood. Where do I sigh?" I knew coming in here that I was signing on.

"Tank has all your paperwork. I do have one open apartment at the moment, are you interested?" Ranger sat forward and took a key chain out of his desk. "This is for you. The fob will get you into the garage and the building. The only place it will not get you to is the 7th floor."

"I have my own house and I don't see a need to move here, so save the apartment for someone else. I appreciate the job. I'll go see Tank and get things signed. When do I start?"

"As soon as you sign the paperwork, we need to go to Vinnie's and get you put on the list for RangeMan FTA files. I assume you want to still help Lula out with the low bond skips." Man, Ranger sure doesn't show what he feels or thinks. I wonder if he doesn't want me doing the low bond.

"I've been working with Lula a little every day showing her how to protect herself. I think that if I can work with her for a few more weeks, she'll be ready to go out on her own for most of them." He nodded and turned to his computer. Guess I was dismissed. I headed to Tanks office and knocked.

"Hey Steph. Are you here to sign papers?" Tank knew I'd take the job just as much as I knew it.

"Yeah, I took the job." I signed the papers and got everything set up. I was shown my cubicle; it is across the hall from Lester. This was going to be fun.

OoOoOoOo

Ranger came into my cubicle and just stood there. I hate when people just come in and stand. If you have something to say, then speak. "What?"

"We need you for a distraction job tomorrow night. Are you available?" He actually looked a little nervous.

"Yes. Who, when, where?"

"Vincent Jameson, tomorrow night at 20:00, Last Chance Bar. Ella will have your clothes in your cubicle by 4pm."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "OK. I'll be there. Where do we meet?"

"I'll pick you up from your house at 7:00." He didn't wait for an answer; he just turned around and left.

I went home and took a long relaxing bath to unwind. I was awakened by the phone. I reached to the counter and grabbed it. "Hello."

"Aaniin, One Shot."

"Panther! How the hell are you? I've not heard from you guys in a few days. I was beginning to think you forgot about me."

"Never. We've just been busy. Had some things come up that needed our attention. We're sorry for not calling." They guys had been calling me every day since I moved back home, but I've not heard from them in two weeks.

"What happened? Is everyone okay?"

"We are all fine. Just wanted to let you know that we were going to be in Jersey next week. Mind if we stop in on ya?"

"Hell yeah, you guys can crash at my place. I've been lonely for a few weeks and could use some friends about now." I don't know why, but I've really been missing Lester and spending time with him.

"What happened to Green Eyes? You scare him off already?" I could hear the smile in Panther's voice.

"No, he got called out of town for one of his jobs three weeks ago. I've not heard from him and don't know when he'll be back."

"I totally understand. He'll make it back, One Shot. Especially if you sent him off like you use to send us off. No man can resist coming back to a homemade dinner, especially if you are the one that made it."

"Thanks, P. Let me know when you guys will be here and I'll cook." I was starting to shiver in the tub; I don't know how long I'd been asleep, but the water was very cold.

"OK. Catch you later and keep your chin up. We love you."

And there it was. Man, do any men know how to say goodbye? I got out of the tub, dried off and dressed in a t-shirt and panties. I put in "Sixteen Candles" and laid on my bed watching. Next thing I knew, my alarm was going off.

I got up, showered again, and dressed for the day. I was going to be at the bonds office and RangeMan today, so I had to wear black. I grabbed my belt, guns, cuffs, spray, stun gun, knives, and phone and headed to the bonds office. As usual, there was the black SUV in the parking lot. I got out of my car and went in.

"Morning Steph. How was your night?" Connie seemed a little too chipper this morning.

"Um, it was fine. Took a bath, talked to a friend and went to bed. Why, was something else supposed to happen last night?" Then I felt it. A warm hand on my back and soft warm lips on my neck. I had to tamp down the urge to run; I knew those lips and knew they would never hurt me. I spun around and there were the most amazing green eyes I've ever looked into.

"Lester!" My arms went around his neck and I pulled him to me. His arms went around my waist and he pulled me up and into him.

"I missed you, Baby." God his voice was so sexy. He set me down and his lips were on mine instantly. No one else existed in the room, just him and I. I melted into him, God how I missed him. We were brought back to reality by a voice being cleared.

We broke the kiss and I turned around to face Ranger. Lester pulled my back against his chest and held me. "Okay man, your surprise is done. Now you need to get back and get some sleep. Stephanie has some work to do before tonight." He walked out the door and Lester turned me around.

"I just got back about two hours ago. I need some major sleep, but I wanted to see you first." He kissed me again and then led us outside. "Love the RangeMan look on you, Beautiful. You look good in black. I heard Ranger hired you."

"Yes, he offered a job and I couldn't turn it down. I'll be doing searches, distractions, and field work. I just won't be partnered with you. Hey, are Ram and Vince back?"

"Yes, they are sleeping or should be trying to sleep. It is kind of hard to sleep in the building during the day. The rooms aren't sound proof and everything is heard." I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. Now that I really look at him, I can see he has lost some weight, has bruises and just looks like shit.

"Come here." We walked over to my car and I got in the glove box. "Here, take this and go to my place to sleep. No one is there and it'll be quiet. I won't be home until 4:30, and I'll be quiet. I need to leave at 7:00 for a distraction." I handed him a key chain with a single key.

"Steph, are you sure? I don't want to intrude." Lester's hand was rubbing and down my arm. I think he needed the touch more than I did and I wasn't about to turn him away.

"Lester, take the key and go get some sleep at my place. The fridge is stocked, so if you're hungry or thirsty, grab something. There are clean towels in the guest bathroom if you want a shower. Do you need a ride?"

"No, I'll get a ride from Ranger. He said he needed to talk to me about something anyway. When you get home later, come find me?" He gave me another kiss and walked to Ranger's vehicle. I watched as they drove away and I felt myself smile. Lester was home and he was okay. Life just might turn out okay.

OoOoOoOoOo

_Thanks for reading. Distraction job is next chapter!_


	5. Distraction Time

**My New Life  
>Distraction Time…<br>SapphireJ**

_Not mine unless you don't know them! Thank you all for the reviews. I appreciate them! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!_

I spent my day collecting skips with Lula while dodging questions from her about me and Lester. I'm not willing to discuss my "relationship" with him when I don't even know what it is yet.

Lula looked at me and I knew she was about to start talking again. "What do you think of Tank?"

"He seems nice. Not too talkative, but then again, most of the guys at RangeMan don't seem to talk a lot. Do I sense an interest?" I had seen how Lula and Tank looked at each other, so I knew there was an interest; just neither of them had ever admitted it.

"I like him and I wouldn't mind getting to know him better; maybe get some lovin' from him."

"Have you told him you'd like to get to know him?" This was the first person that Lula had mentioned taking an interest in, so I hoped she'd find some courage.

"No, I don't think he'd like that kind of a woman." Lula looked out the window as she spoke.

"You won't know until you try. Just ask him out for drink or something, see what he says."

"Hmm, maybe I'll do that the next time I see him." I could see the wheels turning in her head and knew she'd be asking him soon. I also knew he'd probably say yes.

When we turned in our last skip, I dropped Lula back off at the bonds office and collected my check. After I got done at the bank, I went to RangeMan to pick up my outfit and headed home to start getting ready for tonight.

I opened the door to the spare bedroom to check on Lester. He was sleeping soundly and looked so relaxed. I was tempted to kiss him, but I didn't want to wake him up, so I closed the door behind me and went to my bedroom to get ready.

Once I was done showering, shaving and putting on lotion, I started on my make-up. I left it light, just a little mascara, blush and lip gloss. I put on my black lacey bra and thong and looked for my dress. I found the dress that Ella had bought for me. It is a backless black dress that tied behind my neck. Well, there goes the bra; can't wear one with this dress.

The skirt portion hit just below my ass. If I bend over, I'll be showing everyone what my thong doesn't cover. Shit, I don't know if I can do this. The shoes are four inch black pumps with straps. I leave my hair down and take one last look in the mirror. Nothing to change, so I'm all set. I grab my little black clutch that holds my lip gloss, mascara, stun gun, and gun. I'm all set, but feel naked without a gun on my body.

I stop by Lester's door on the way downstairs, but resist the urge to open it. I get downstairs just as there is a knock on the door. I had told the guys not to ring the doorbell so they wouldn't wake up Les. I opened the door and Ranger stood there waiting for me.

His eyes roamed my body and I saw them darken. Guess he liked how I looked. "Steph, you look amazing. I think you will have our skip out of the bar in record time. Ready to go?"

"Sure, just let me lock up." I left the small living room light on so Lester could see when he came down, and locked the door pulling it behind me.

We got into a Porsche which I assumed was Ranger's personal car. Man, it felt nice. I might have to get me one of these. The ride to the bar was silent. Seemed none of the guys really wanted to talk while driving and honestly, that was fine with me. It gave me a chance to think of how I was going to do this tonight.

"Here, look it over before we get there." Ranger handed me a file. I opened it up and saw it was the file for our skip. Vincent Jameson, 6 foot 3 inches, 225 pounds. Wanted for armed robbery, attempted murder, rape, domestic violence and breaking and entering. Nice guy.

We pulled into the Last Chance Bar and Ranger cut the engine. "We need to get you wired. Do you want to do it or do you want me to?" I could tell by the look in his eye, he wanted to do it himself, but I wasn't about to let that happen.

"I'll do it." I took the wire from him, turned away and taped it under my left breast. I turned back to Ranger and waited. "Can you see it or is it hidden enough?"

"Can't see a thing, Steph. Now, we'll all be able to hear you, but you won't be able to hear us. Just get the guy to follow you out and we'll take it from there. Hal is bartender, Woody, Binkie and Junior are inside as customers, Tank and I will be out here to catch him when you bring him out. Make sure you walk out first and just keep walking no matter what happens. Whatever you do, don't let him get you alone."

I almost laughed at him. Does he not know my skills? Just because I'm not carrying on my person right now, doesn't mean that I am defenseless. I bet I could even take him down; hmm, maybe one day I'll get the chance to try.

"Ready?" I got out of the car and started walking towards the bar. Once I got in, I had to stop to allow my eyes to adjust to the light. I saw Woody and he smiled a little at me. I looked around and spotted Binkie and Junior in a pool game. I went up to the bar and noticed the skip. There were three empty stools around him, so I picked the one farthest away; didn't want to give it away so soon.

"What can I get ya?" Hal came over to my seat to take my order and smiled at me, slightly shaking his head. I guess the outfit got everyone's attention.

"I'll take a rum & coke."

The skip got up from his seat and sat down next to me. "This seat taken sexy?" God, he reeked of alcohol.

"It is now, handsome." I felt the bile rising in my throat and had to swallow it back down. _This is just a job, just a job. I can do this. He's not going to touch me._ I was chanting to myself and trying to force myself to believe it.

He sat down and his arm went around me instantly. I stiffened and had to fight the urge to throw him off of me. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I feel like I'm going to be sick. My heart is racing and I'm sure everyone can hear it. I don't want to mess this up for the guys, but if he touches me again, I'm going to scream.

"I'm Vince, what's your name?" He kept his arm on my shoulders and pulled me closer so we could talk over the music.

"I'm Rachel. Nice to meet you." Deep breath and count to ten. _I've got to get him out of here soon or I'm going to be sick._

"What is a sexy thing like you doing here alone?" So far, his hand has stayed, so that is a good thing.

"I just left my boyfriend. He wasn't doing it for me anymore, so I thought I'd go out, have a drink and maybe find a new man." I took a drink and looked at him. "What about you? Why are you alone?"

He took a drink of his beer and leaned in closer. "I was waiting for you."

I slammed the rest of my drink, looked at him and licked my lips. "Well, shall we get out of here then?" He took his arm off my shoulder and took my hand.

"After you sweet thang." I pulled him towards the door with me. I was in a hurry to get away from him, but hopefully he took it as a hurry to get him alone.

Once I was through the door, I felt him being tugged away from me. "Bond enforcement. Vincent Jameson, you are coming with us." I heard Tanks deep voice, but I kept walking. I ripped the wire off of my body, threw it on the ground, and walked quickly towards the Porsche. I just wanted to get back to my house, take a scalding hot shower and fall asleep.

I could hear the guys behind me yelling to see if I was okay. I couldn't answer them, my throat was locked up and nothing was coming out. I saw Tank and Woody loading the jerk into the back of the SUV as Ranger came up to me.

It looked like he was about to put his arm around me, but thought better of it. He opened the door for me and I slid into the passenger seat, buckled up, and waited. I was shaking, but hoped Ranger would think it was from the chill of the air.

I didn't talk on the ride back to my house. Ranger kept asking if I was okay, but I was in no mood to answer him. I wasn't okay. I had thoughts running through my head, thoughts that I didn't like. Thoughts that hadn't been there in a while.

When Ranger pulled up to my house, I quietly thanked him for the ride and ran to the door. He waited until I was inside before he pulled out of the drive. I locked my door and raced to my room, peeling clothes off on the way. I needed a scalding shower; I needed to get his hands off me; I needed to get away from him, far away. Once I stepped into my shower, I sank down and curled my knees into my chest and cried.

He was here again. Once again, I was tied up and gagged. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream, I couldn't stop him. It was like all my training was gone. Why couldn't I stop him? Why did he do this to me? I felt him tear me as he entered. I woke up as I heard someone screaming; I quickly realized it was me. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. As I leaned back, I felt a hand on my back and a wet washcloth on my face. I shrieked and froze. No one was to be here.

_Tbc… see the review link? Yep, you know you want to hit it and leave a review ;)_


	6. Talk and a Reunion

**My New Life  
>Talk and a Reunion<br>SapphireJ**

"Steph? Beautiful, it's me. Look at me baby, please." I could hear the concern in his voice. When I looked in his eyes, they were filled with compassion and worry.

"Lester. Oh god, Les." I started to cry and he pulled me to him. We stayed like that for a while. He held me while I cried. He never asked why I was crying or what was wrong. He just held me.

Finally my cries stopped and I looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I guess I forgot you were here. I didn't mean to freak out on you." I tried to get up, but he wouldn't let me.

"Steph, if you need to talk, I'm here. I was worried about you last night when I saw you in the shower. I know something is going on, but I won't push." He hugged me tight and kissed my head before letting me get up.

"Lester, I need to talk to you. Will you please meet me in the living room after I get dressed?"

"Sure thing, Steph. Are you going to be okay?" I could see the concern in his eyes and I knew I had to tell him everything; even if it meant losing his friendship. He had a right to know.

I hugged him and kissed his cheek before getting up. "I will be."

OoOoOoOo

I headed down to the living room after I had gotten dressed. As I was on the stairs, I heard Lester talking. "What the fuck happened last night… what else… that can't be all… no, I'm staying here for now… I need to be with Steph… later… I don't know, maybe a few days… I'll call later."

I stepped off the stairs and saw Lester hanging up his phone. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt a phone call."

"You didn't, Baby. I was just calling Tank to let him know I was awake and okay. Told him I was taking a few more days off of work." He came over and hugged me. We walked to the couch and sat down on opposite ends facing each other.

"Lester, there are some things that I need to tell you about me. Some things that are going to be hard for me to tell and maybe hard for you to hear, but I need to do this. So, please, let me get it out before you say anything, okay?"

"Okay, but you don't have to tell me anything." The look in Lester's eyes was one of deep concern; it let me know he was willing to listen and not judge until the end. That was something I needed.

"Yes, I do. If we are going to have a chance at anything, you need to know this. There are only five others besides myself that know some of what I'm about to tell you and only two that know the entire story. It's something that I'm ashamed of, something I wish I never had to deal with, but I do." I told Lester everything that happened with Erik. He sat there with his blank face, but there were times when I saw anger and rage fly by his eyes for a brief second.

"If you remember, the first time I met you, you put your arm around me and I flinched, that's why. I'm afraid of people touching me anymore. Last night when the skip put his hands on me, my mind went back to Erik and what happened. I couldn't wait to get away from him, home, and in the shower. All my thoughts were about the night with Erik."

"I came home and stripped out of my clothes and took the hottest shower I could. I don't remember getting out of the shower or into bed. The next thing I remember was waking up from my nightmare and throwing up." I looked at Lester wondering if he was ready to bolt yet; I wouldn't blame him if he did.

"Beautiful. I knew something was wrong after I put my arm around you the first time. I figured you had been abused in some way, but I wasn't totally sure. I had no idea it was that bad. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me all that happened. That doesn't change the way I feel about you. I want a relationship with you." He scooted closer to me and pulled me to him. It felt so nice being in his arms that I just relaxed against him.

"As for how you got from the shower to the bed, I had a hand in that. I woke up and heard your shower running. I figured I'd wait for you to finish and then see how the takedown went. I grabbed myself a coke and came back upstairs. Your shower was still running, so I waited some more. Finally after about thirty more minutes, I couldn't take it anymore. I knocked on your bathroom door and called your name."

He hugged me and kissed the top of my head again. "When you didn't answer, I thought something happened, so I opened your door. I called your name again and again you didn't answer. I opened the shower door and saw you sitting there with your knees up to your chest. The water was ice cold and you were shivering. I turned the water off, grabbed one of your thick towels and wrapped it around you."

"I picked you up out of the tub and sat you on the counter. I dried you off the best I could. I tried talking to you, but you didn't respond. I was worried. I carried you to your bed, took off my t-shirt and put it on you. Then I pulled the covers down on your bed, laid you down and covered you up. I laid down with you for a little bit to make sure you were okay. You fell asleep almost instantly. After about two hours, I got up and went back to the guest room. I left both doors open so I could hear you if you needed me."

I brought my legs up on the couch and laid my head in his lap. He ran is fingers through my hair with one hand while his other hand found mine and he intertwined our fingers. "What was your nightmare baby?"

"Erik and all that happened." I closed my eyes and enjoyed his hands in my hair. Someone playing with my hair was always relaxing to me. I was about to fall back to sleep when my stomach voiced its opinion. "Guess I need to eat. What would you like for breakfast?"

I tried to get up off the couch, but Lester wasn't letting me. It is amazing how much I trust him. If this had been anyone else, I think my fear might have kicked in, but with Lester holding me, all I feel is content and safe. I was about to ask him about breakfast again when my phone house phone rang.

Lester was closer to the phone so he picked it up and handed it to me. "Hello."

"Aaniin, One Shot."

"Hey P. How are you?" I tried to sound cheerful; I didn't need my brothers worrying about me when there was nothing they could do.

"We're great. Listen, Eagle, Raven and I are in town. Can we stop by?"

Shit, I forgot they were coming. "Aren't you guys early?"

"Yes, but look at it this way…more time to spend with you."

"Fine, but I hope you have sleeping bags."

I gave them directions to my house. I figured they were maybe twenty minutes away. While I was thrilled to see them, I wasn't ready to give up my time with Lester yet.

"Do you want me to leave Steph?"

I leaned back against Lester and shook my head. "I'd like for you to stay if you can and want to. My brothers will be here in a few minutes and I'd like for you to meet them."

"Then I'll stay. Now about breakfast; what can I make for you?"

We decided that we'd both go to the kitchen and work on making waffles, eggs and sausage. I figured we'd make enough for the other three guys. Just as we finished with the waffles, the door bell rang. I ran to get it. I opened the door and there stood my three best friends sporting huge goofy grins.

I was pulled into hugs by all three of them. Huge bear hugs. I led Raven, Eagle and Panther to the kitchen where the food was.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Lester. Les, this is Panther, Eagle, and Raven; my brothers."

The guys all shook hands and of course, Panther just had to say it. "You're right, One Shot. Green Eyes is hot!" Oh god. I swear I just turned three shades of red. I slugged him in his arm and everyone laughed.

"Now if you are done embarrassing me, breakfast is served." I took down plates and glasses for everyone while Lester put the food on the table. We ate and the guys filled me in on the happenings on the reservation. It was great to hear about everyone; I really missed them.

After breakfast was done, Lester, Panther, and Raven started to clear the dishes while Eagle pulled me into the living room. "I hear you had a run in with Erik before you left." I just nodded; I didn't know what to say to him. "I'm glad you did."

Huh? "Why?" That was so not the response I was expecting.

"Because I've been waiting for you to do something to him so that we could go after him. I promised you we wouldn't do anything to him until you had a chance. Now that you have, we'll take care of him when we get back home."

Eagle and the guys were lethal; they were trained that way, but I never wanted them to go after Erik. "No! Eagle, you can't. I don't want you guys getting into trouble because of me."

"One Shot, he will pay for what he did to you. Tell me, are you still having nightmares? Are you still afraid for people to touch you? Have you allowed Green Eyes to touch you yet?" With each sentence, Eagle was getting closer to me and louder.

"Damn it Eagle." I felt the tears staring to well up as I turned away. "What do you want me to say?"

"The truth, always."

"Fine, yes. I still have nightmares. Yes, I'm afraid of people touching me, but that is getting better. Yes, Lester touches me. I use to flinch, but not anymore. I trust him. Yes, I want Erik dead." I slapped my hand over my mouth; I couldn't believe I said that.

"Eagle, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I know he is your brother, but damn it, what he did to me still hurts even after 3 years." I was crying now and Eagle wrapped his arms around me.

"I know. I'm so sorry for what he did to you. I'm ashamed to call him family. I wish you would have told the elders about it, but I understand why you didn't. But, you cannot continue to blame yourself. Look at me."

I looked up at him. "We love you, One Shot. You're one of us. We take care of our own. We _will_ take care of Erik when we get home. For you and for anyone else he has done this to. I told you that in the beginning and I mean it."

The other guys joined us in the living room and I could see the concern in Lester's eyes. I was still wrapped up in Eagle's arms, my arms around his waist, and my head on his chest. Letting go of Eagle, I walked over to Lester and hugged him. "It isn't what you think." He looked at me with questioning eyes. "Eagle; he's Erik's brother."

_Still don't own any that you know from the books... just borrowing them. You know the drill... hit the review link and let me know!_


	7. Time to Rumble

_If you recognize them, I don't own them. No money being made on this_

* * *

><p><strong>My New Life<br>Time to Rumble  
>SapphireJ<strong>

I explained to the guys that Lester knew what happened with Erik. Once Lester knew that Eagle was Erik's brother, he wanted to make sure I was safe with Eagle in the house. He really did care about me.

"Steph, can I talk to you for a minute?" Lester nodded to the kitchen and I followed him.

"What's up, Les?"

Wrapping his arms around me, he rested his chin on my head before speaking. "I know you said these guys are your brothers, but are you sure they have your best interest at heart? You know, with Eagle being Erik's brother and all."

Looking up, I saw nothing but concern in his eyes. "I'm sure, Les. They would do nothing to hurt me and everything to protect me." I hopped up on the counter and pulled Lester to me.

"Listen to me, and listen to me carefully. There is nothing to worry about with those guys. Each of them knows what happened and they have sworn to find Erik and teach him a lesson. They promised me they wouldn't do that until I had a chance to confront him first. I've done that."

Lester nodded and looked like he wanted to smile at the memory of our conversation. "What about the touching. Do they know you flinch when touched?"

"They do. Actually Eagle called me out on it a little bit ago. I know I need help and I'm willing to get that help, as long as I can find the right person." I bit my lower lip and wondered if I should ask Lester, but decided to keep quiet for now.

Hopping off the counter, I pulled Les to me and kissed his lips gently. "Let's get back in there before they think we ran off."

Walking back into the living room, I saw Raven looking around for something. "What do you need, Rave?"

"I need to rumble. Got a place?" He was always looking for a mat or a ring.

Laughing, I answered him, "Yes, why don't you guys get dressed and meet me in the basement." I looked at Lester wondering if he'd join us. "Do you feel like a rumble?"

"Basement? You have a basement here?" He had a stunned look that was too adorable. Kind of like a kid that walked into a store and just realized it was filled with candy. I had to laugh.

"Yes, didn't you give yourself the tour the first night?"

"Well, I thought I did. I know this floor and the upstairs. Never saw stairs for a basement. What's down there?" Now he was very curious.

"Get changed to spar and you'll find out. Will you show the guys the guest room so they can change while I get ready?"

"Of course, Baby." He gave me a quick kiss and the guys followed him up the stairs. I knew there was most likely going to be a big brother talk going on. I wasn't about to stop it, they were protective of me and Lester would have to be comfortable with them in my life.

I went and changed into some yoga pants and a sports bra. I headed down to the basement and saw the guys already there. "Damn, Beautiful. I never knew this was here. This setup is awesome." I had a mini gym, stereo, and mats in one room. In the other part of the basement were a fridge, table, chairs, and a pool table.

"How are we doing this guys?" I was eager to get started. I've not fought with my brothers in a few months.

"We're going to start where we left off. Two on one; Panther and Eagle against One Shot. I want to see what you remember or if you've gained experience." Raven was the one that was in charge of my training back in Arizona. He made sure that only the best worked out with me.

"Rave, see the remote on the wall? Grab it and hit play. I need my music." The music started blasting as I was bouncing on the balls of my feet. We all took the time to stretch out; no need in us getting hurt. Once we were warmed up and stretched, we walked into the ring.

I was really having a great time fighting the two off. They got me pinned once each, but not for long. I was trying to find a way to disable both of them so I could win.

Raven looked at Lester and smiled. "She's in her zone. I think it is time to step it up a notch or two. Are you interested in helping?"

"What do you mean?"

"She has a rumble zone. Once she is in it, she kicks ass. She sees nothing other than what's around her that she needs to be aware of. Before she left, we had her training with two on one. I wanted to get her up to three or four on one. I know she can handle it. She says she can't but I know if given the chance, she can. I'm going to jump in and if you want, jump in in about three minutes."

Raven looked Lester in the eyes. "I don't usually trust anyone to fight with her, I think they'd really try to hurt her, but I can see that you have strong feelings for her and wouldn't hurt her. I trust you." With that, Raven got up from the chair and silently circled the mat keeping an eye on Stephanie.

Eagle had me in a headlock. As I struggled to get out of it, Raven took his chance and came up from the side I wasn't looking at. Just as he was about to reach me, I did a side kick and caught him in the nuts. He went down hard and fast.

Pretty soon, Lester joined in and it was four against one, but I was still in my zone and was able to "kill" them all. Once all four guys were down for the count, I came back to reality and realized that I had just gone against four and had won. Exhausted, I walked to the fridge and grabbed five waters, tossing four to the mats and emptying my own at once.

I sat down on one of the chairs and waited for the guys to get up. Lester was the first to approach me. "Damn, Baby. You kick ass. Remind me to never get you pissed off at me." Hugging me tight, he kissed my head.

The rest of the day was spent with everyone talking and catching up some more. Lester learned a lot about the guys and was impressed with all they had done for me. The next day, we all went to RangeMan and I introduced them to everyone. Once again, Raven needed to rumble, but this time there were a lot of new people to rumble against.

Raven went up against Hal, Cal, Bobby, Manny, Woody, and finally Tank. None of the guys held back, they each gave their all. Raven seemed a little worried at first; he didn't want to hurt anyone. Once he finally realized they could take what was dished out, he let loose. I think he and Tank went on for forty-five minutes before Les finally called it a tie.

Raven had a blast and finally had it all worked out of his system. Once that was done, he could finally relax and enjoy his "vacation".

We mostly stuck around the house talking about the Reservation and how everyone was doing. The elders keep asking when I'm coming back; Eagle tries to convince them that I'm not and am happy in my life now. I miss everyone there, but know my home is once again in Trenton.

A few nights later, it was time for the guys to leave. The promised to keep in touch with me and Eagle told me not to worry about Erik ever again. They all gave me hugs and kisses, and left for the airport. Lester pulled me against him as we watched the taillights disappear down the road. I sighed and walked to the house. I already missed them.

Lester wrapped his arms around me, and even though I tried to hide it, I know he felt me tense up for a second. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I still do that with you sometimes."

"Baby, don't ever apologize. This is something that is going to take time and I know that. I would like to ask you something, though."

I turned around in Lester's arms and looked up at him, "What's that?"

"Will you let me help you? Would you trust me enough to help you work through this?" I thought about it for a few seconds and nodded. I do trust Lester enough. "I have some ideas, and I'm not sure how you are going to feel about it, but I hope you'll at least give them a try."

Laying my head on his chest, I felt a tear slip out. "I trust you, Les, I really do. I want to get over this fear and get back to a normal life. I promise I will listen and try what you have in mind, but I can't promise it will work."

"That's all I ask for, Beautiful." Les rested his chin on my head and we stood like that for a few minutes before he decided it was time for him to head to his apartment and me to bed. It had been a long day and I was exhausted.

* * *

><p><em>Leave a review please!<em>


	8. The Party

_Not mine... no money, just fun._

_A/N: yes, this jumped ahead, but don't worry... we will have flashbacks as to what was missed ;)_

**My New Life  
>The Party<br>SapphireJ**

_**One Year Later**_

I have been back in Trenton for a year now. Lester and I have been together since day one and we really love each other. I've not talked to my mother since shortly after I came home. She's still pissed about me leaving years ago and not settling down with Joe Morelli. Ah, are you wondering about Joe? Well, after I left for Arizona, he moved to Philly, found a woman, got married, and had kids. Last I heard, he has two boys and a girl. I'm happy for him.

I've been working at RangeMan for almost a year now. I'm still doing searches, but I've also gotten into the security part of the company. I help the guys set up the proposals, talk to the clients, and set up the systems. I really like my job; it keeps me occupied.

Lester has been on one more mission in the past year. He was gone for about 4 months that time. I missed him like crazy and was so relieved when he came back home. He moved out of RangeMan apartments and moved into my house with me. I love having him here. I fall asleep next to him every night and wake up in his arms every morning. I never knew life could be so fulfilling.

Today is the annual RangeMan summer party. I guess Ranger and Tank hire contractors to run the building while all the regular employees head off to Point Pleasant for a party. I'm told they rent beach houses for those that are too drunk to drive home or just want to stay the night. There should be huge grills for hot dogs and hamburgers.

Lester and I picked up Bobby and Kennedy to ride along with us. Once we got to Point Pleasant, I was shocked! There was food everywhere along the beach. They had three volleyball nets set up, there were surfboards laying in the sand at the shore, two pits for fires, tons of coolers that held beer, pop, water, lemonade, and chocolate candy bars. This was going to be a great day!

As we walked down the beach, Bobby and Lester took off running, leaving Kennedy and I to ourselves.

"Well, I think we just lost the men." Kennedy was laughing at the _kids_ having fun.

"I agree. I'm going to for a swim, are you coming?" I started taking off my tank top and shorts. Kennedy had her clothes off and was standing there in her bikini waiting on me. She and I took off for the water. As soon as I was in the water, I was pulled under.

"Baby, you can't wear that here. You will distract all the men and I don't want them looking at you like I do." Lester pulled me into him and kissed me hard. I could feel what my bikini was doing to him.

I heard a lot of whistles and cat calls. "Les, this is what I'm wearing for swimming. If you don't like it, I could always take it off." I swam away from him as he stood there stunned.

"Hey, get back here. You can't put that image in my head and then leave!" Lester swam behind me and finally caught me. I screamed as I felt his fingers slip under my bikini bottoms. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. His lips crashed down on mine to swallow my screams as his finger entered me.

Luckily there were waves so no one could really tell what we were doing; at least that's what I told myself. I rode his fingers shamelessly through two orgasms. I whimpered when he pulled his fingers out of me, but was quickly refilled by his cock. The waves were helping me move up and down him, but I still couldn't get enough. Finally, I came harder than ever and felt him spill inside me a few seconds later. We were locked in a kiss to muffle our screams.

When we were able to breathe normal, I looked him in the eyes. "God, that was amazing." I kissed him again and felt him hug me tighter to him. When he slipped out of me, I felt the loss and groaned. Of course, he laughed at me.

"There will be more later, Baby. I don't want to give everyone too much of a show. Now, I'm supposed to go surfing with Bobby, Ranger, Ram, and Junior. Are you going to watch me?"

I slipped my legs from around him and kissed him once more. I started to swim towards shore and caught sight of Kennedy. She was grinning ear to ear. I guess we weren't that subtle about what we were doing.

The guys split into groups; some played volleyball, some surfed, and some grabbed food. Ranger gave Ella and Luis the entire day off, so the guys had to man the grills. All of the woman, and there were a ton of us, sat on the beach and caught some sun. Every once in a while, I would feel Lester's eyes on me. I'd sit up, find him, and smile.

Everyone had a great time. Sometime after the games and dinner were done, Tank started a fire in both pits. We were all sitting around the two of them. Most of the men had their woman sitting in front of them leaning against their chest.

We made s 'mores and talked about nothing in particular. A few of the couples took off back to Trenton, one or the other had to work the next day. The only ones that stayed in Point Pleasant were Bobby, Kennedy, Tank, Lula, Lester, and myself. Bobby, Tank and the girls headed up to one of the beach houses while Lester and I stayed on the beach a while longer.

I was so relaxed leaning back into him that I was almost asleep. I felt his lips on my neck as his arms wrapped me tighter. "I love you, Steph."

"Mm, I love you, too, Les." I really do. I heard Lester sigh and that usually isn't too good. "Les, what's wrong? Talk to me?"

"Nothing is wrong, Baby." I felt Lester tense up behind me and knew he was hiding something. I figured he was about to tell me he was leaving for a mission again and didn't know how to bring it up.

"Les, we always talk to each other. I know when you sigh, that something is bothering you." I sat up and turned around to face him. I put my legs over his and around his waist, almost straddling him. "If you're leaving again, just tell me. You should know by now I can handle it."

"Honestly. Nothing is wrong. I sighed because I'm so comfortable and content right now. I never really knew life could be like this." He grabbed my hands and held them between us. "Steph, my life has changed so much this past year. I've done and wanted things I never thought about before you."

"I laugh a hell of a lot more than I ever have in my life. I can't wait to get home at night because I know you'll be there waiting for me. I have a reason to go on now."

"I love you. I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life. Stephanie… will you marry me?"

I looked at Lester. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I never thought about marrying him. I never thought I'd get married again. Could I see myself staying with Lester the rest of my life? YES. Could I see us being happy and content the rest of our lives together? YES.

"Beautiful?" I realized I hadn't answered him yet and the insecurities were showing through on his face. He was unsure if he had overstepped a line.

"YES! Yes, yes, yes, yes. I will marry you. I love you." I found myself flipped onto my back with Lester on top of me. He was kissing me everywhere he could. We made love on the beach next to the fire and it was perfect. I fell asleep curled up into his body and never felt more safe, comfortable, and loved.


	9. And it Begins

_Thank you for all the reviews. I really appreciate them. I hope you are still enjoying the story... there is a lot still to happen! As you know, they aren't mine and I'm making no money off of them... that is Janet's deal!_

**My New Life  
>And it Begins<br>SapphireJ**

We woke up to the sound of laughing. When I opened my eyes, I saw Tank, Bobby, Lula, and Kennedy looking at us. I squirmed around a little, but couldn't go anywhere…I was on top of Lester and he had a tight grip on me.

"Baby, if you don't stop moving around like that, everyone here is going to get a free show." I looked down at Lester and saw the look in his eyes; his control was ready to snap.

"Girl, I can't believe you slept on the beach last night. Weren't you cold?" Lula's eyes were wide as she looked at me.

"What? I had Les to keep me warm." I smiled down at him as he ran his hands up and down my back.

"And keep you warm, I did." I got his wolf grin.

"Oh, I'd say he did more than keep you warm. What the HELL is THAT?" I looked at where she was looking.

"Oh. Um… well… we're engaged." Now, when the hell did he put a ring on my finger? I don't remember that part. Looking at the ring, ohmigod, it's beautiful.

Lester was looking at me and smiling. "You like, Baby?"

"Like it? I LOVE it. It's so beautiful. When did you slip it on?" I couldn't take my eyes off of it. It was a fourteen karat White Gold Diamond and Natural Sapphire Ring Setting. There were sapphires on either side of the diamond and then more diamonds after the sapphires. I could feel the tears in my eyes as I leaned down and kissed Lester.

"Congratulations Steph. Santos. I was wondering when you were going to pop the question man. It's about time." Tank pulled Lula down to the shore for a morning swim.

Kennedy and Bobby looked at the ring and Kennedy sighed looking at Bobby. "Someday sweetheart, someday." Bobby wrapped an arm around her and pulled her toward the shore. "Let's let them wake up a little more."

"I had it made just for you, Steph. I thought the sapphires would look wonderful on your finger and I was right. As for when I slipped it on you, sometime last night after we decided it was time to sleep. You were already asleep, and I wanted it to be the first thing you saw this morning… guess the others beat you to it."

"I love the ring and I love you. Thank you!" I proceeded to show Les just how much I loved him and the ring.

After breakfast and packing things up, we all headed back to Trenton. Tank, Bobby and the girls all took the RangeMan SUV, while Lester and I took my Mustang. I let Lester drive; he loved driving my Mustang.

On the way back to Trenton, I dug out my phone and called Arizona. I told Eagle about my engagement and he passed the word to Panther and Raven. They all were very excited and said they would make it here for the wedding. Eagle also told me that Erik was finally taken care of. I didn't ask for details; I didn't need them. I had told the guys they could do what they felt was necessary; I had done what I needed to do. I had moved on finally and the nightmares had stopped about six months ago.

We stopped over to tell my dad about the engagement; my mother was there, but as usual she wouldn't talk to me. I've gone almost five years without talking to her and amazingly, I don't miss it. My dad gave us his blessing and said he couldn't wait to walk me down the aisle again.

When we got back to RangeMan later in the afternoon, it was eerily quiet. When Lester and I walked into the break room, we found out why. Almost all the guys were in there with a huge banner that said "Congratulations One Shot and Santos". I guess Tank or Bobby told everyone. They were all excited for us.

Lester and I were laying in bed later that night discussing our engagement. "Baby, when do you want to get married?" His fingers were drawing circles on my stomach.

"Soon. I don't want a long engagement. What about you?"

"Let's get married as soon as possible. I don't want to wait either. How big do you want the wedding?"

I leaned my head up and captured his lips. I really do love this man. "I say just close friends and family." I snuggled into him closer and could feel him growing hard against me. "I want enough time for Eagle, Panther and Rave to get here. I cannot get married without them here."

Lester's hands were slowly sliding down my body and making me lose my thoughts. "So how about two weeks from tomorrow in our backyard?"

Lester pulled me on top of him and I lost all thought. I think sometime before we finally fell asleep, we had agreed to have our wedding in two weeks, in our back yard, with my dad walking me down the isle, Bobby as the best man, Mare as my maid of honor, inviting all of the RangeMan Trenton employees, Connie, Lula, and my brothers. We would have my grandma there as well as Lester's parents, brothers and sister.

I woke up the next morning sore in places I didn't realize could _get_ sore. But ohmigod, it was soooo worth it.

OoOoOoOo

Two weeks flew by and before we knew it, it was the morning of our wedding. Everyone was bustling around the house trying to make sure that Les and I stayed away from each other until it was time for the walk down the isle.

My father had already had a talk with Lester; I wasn't told the details of it just that it had happened. Honestly, I think I'd have been more afraid of my brothers than my dad, but then again, my dad is a pretty scary man when something happens to me.

I was standing in front of the mirror looking at my reflection for the thousandth time. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect. "Mare, do I look okay?"

"Steph, you look beautiful. I've never seen a more happy and beautiful bride." She buttoned my dress and made sure my hair still looked good. I heard the music start and there was a knock at the door.

"Ready, Pumpkin?" Daddy stood there in his black suit and smiled at me.

"Daddy, you look very handsome." He gave me a kiss on the top of my head and offered me his arm.

"You look beautiful, Pumpkin. Let's go get you married." I had no reservations about getting married. I knew that when it was meant to be I'd know. I found the one person who kept me grounded when needed, but still let me fly like I'd always wanted.

As we walked down the aisle, I saw Lester staring at me. His eyes never left mine. I could see the love, joy and desire flash across his face. Bobby was smiling like I'd never seen before. My dad shook Lester's hand and then placed my hand in his. He kissed me on the cheek and took his seat.

I stared in Lester's eyes during the entire ceremony. I don't think I heard anything until Lester started saying his vows.

"Stephanie, because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again. I look forward with great joy to spending the rest of my life with you, caring for you, nurturing you, being there for you in all life has for us, and I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live."

I had tears flowing down my cheeks when he finished. I knew we agreed to write our own vows and not share them until the ceremony, but I had no idea he would write something as meaningful as that.

"Lester, I have finally discovered the meaning of real love. For as long as I live I will love, respect and honor you. I will be committed to self-growth and to the growth of our relationship. I promise to be honest and to communicate my needs and feelings, just as I promise to listen to yours. I will be faithful to you in mind, body, and spirit. I will be your friend and life partner no matter what life brings to us. Today I pledge my commitment to you."

I heard the minister announce that we were man and wife and that Lester could kiss the bride. I was so glad he had his arms around me because if he hadn't, I would be on the floor right now. That man can kiss. I heard clapping, cheers, whistles and a few "come up for air".

I looked in Lester's eyes and saw so much love. "We did it, Baby."

Yes, we did. I am his and he is mine. We went and enjoyed the reception. Ranger had Ella make the cake and hired his brother to cater the reception. The food was wonderful. Since we already had everything we needed, we asked that no one purchase us gifts; just enjoy the day with us. Most everyone ignored our request and we were presented with two gifts.

One was a photo album filled with pictures of Lester and I started from the day we met. Most of the pictures we'd never seen. Some looked like they probably came from the RangeMan Cameras in various places around the building. This gift was very precious to both of us. It showed us falling in love in ways we hadn't realized.

The second gift was two airline tickets; destination open. We were able to pick any place in the world we wanted to go, and our tickets were paid for. There was no date listed either. Looks like someone used some connections for this.

We had a dance floor put up in the back yard and decorated with lights. The reception went on until the early hours of the morning. Everyone started leaving around two in the morning, with Bobby and Kennedy being the last. I think Lester and I finally made it into bed around 3am.

I was just about to fall asleep when I heard it. "Santos…sir, yes sir…"


	10. Congratulations You're Leaving?

_Not mine and no money being made. _

_I hope everyone is still enjoying the story. I've noticed the reviews have gone down for the last few chapaters. I"m sorry I've not responded to each person individually... I'll try to be better at that. _

**My New Life  
><strong>**Congratulations… You're Leaving?  
><strong>**SapphireJ**

I was just about to fall asleep when I heard it. "Santos…sir, yes sir…is there any other way, sir…no sir, but I just got married…today sir…yes sir, I understand…1400 hours sir."

Lester flipped the phone closed and slipped an arm around me, pulling me closer to him. "Your leaving." I stated, not asking as I already knew the answer.

"I'm so sorry, Steph. I don't have a choice." I heard Les sigh and knew this was hard on him. It was my duty to not make this any harder. As much as I didn't want him to leave, I knew it would happen sooner or later.

"I know. I knew this going in and it's a part of your life. When do you have to leave?" I had a feeling this was going to happen. At least it happened _after_ we got married.

"I need to be at the airport at two tomorrow. I don't know where to, but I was told that it could be a month or two. God, I don't want to leave you. Not after we just got married." He kissed my shoulder and it sent shivers down my spine.

"I know. I don't want you to leave either, but someone else needs you right now. I'm not about to become one of those clingy wives that wants her husband to change. This is your life and I told you a long time ago that I accept it. Now, what do you want for breakfast?"

His hand slid down the front of my body ever so slowly. His lips, teeth, and tongue were all over my shoulder and neck. "You." I found myself flipped onto my back quicker than I could blink.

All too soon it was morning. Lester and I didn't sleep last night; instead, we made love all night long. I can sleep after he leaves and I know he will try to catch some sleep on the plane.

"Hey, I'm going to go get a shower. Why don't you pack up what you need, then you can take a shower while I fix breakfast."

"Ok. I love you Mrs. Santos." Lester leaned down and gave me a toe curling kiss. Man, I was going to miss those while he was gone.

Rushing through my shower, I ran downstairs to get the coffee going. I wanted to make Lester a good breakfast. Lord only knew when he'd get another decent meal.

We got to RangeMan a few hours later. It was time for the morning meeting. Lester and I walked in and took our seats. Looks like it wasn't just Lester that was going; Ranger, Bobby, and Tank were leaving as well.

"Wow, most of my favorite guys are leaving me. Had I known you all were leaving; I'd have had you all over for breakfast. You know I like to make you a meal before you leave." I wasn't pouting, but I was disappointed that I didn't get to keep with my tradition.

"Yeah, we know Steph, but we all got called around 0330 and we didn't want to call and, um, wake you." Tank was trying hard to not to laugh.

"Well, count on a meal when you guys get back. You know I like to make sure you guys have a wonderful meal before you leave and when you get back." I wasn't about to admit that we were awake at that time.

Ranger cleared his throat; guess it was time to start the meeting. "Ok, with the entire core team leaving this time, Hal will be put in charge. Stephanie, you will be second in command while we are gone."

I started to object, but he stopped me. "You are the only manager left here. I would have put you in charge, but Hal does know the entire business more than you do. You are getting close though, so I wouldn't be surprised that if we all get called out again at the same time, you will be the one in charge."

"We do have three meetings set up for new clients that you will need to be involved in. The regular searches and FTA's to be brought in and anything pressing that comes up. Hal knows about the meetings, he will be there with you. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Miami. Silvio can help you out."

The rest of the meeting was about the guys getting their gear ready for the trip. It was soon time for them to leave. As I walked them down to the garage, the rest of the guys were wishing them well and giving them slaps on the back. Once in the garage, they all loaded their gear into one SUV; I'd be taking Hector later to pick it up at the airport.

"I'm going to miss you Mrs. Santos." Lester leaned down to give me a hug and I tried to fight off the tears. When the hell did I become one of those women that cry when their man was leaving? I was really going to miss him. "I love you, Baby and I'll be back as soon as I can."

I held him tight, not wanting to let him go. "I love you too, Mr. Santos. Hurry up and get your stuff done so you can come back to me. We still have a honeymoon to take." I kissed him hard and when we pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine and tried to steady his breathing.

"God, I'm going to miss those kisses. I will be so glad when I'm done with the government." He grabbed my hair and pulled my mouth to his once again. I forgot everything else until I heard the whistles and felt him pull back. "Something to remember and help me get through my days and nights." He winked at me and hopped into the SUV.

"Hey One Shot, can I get a kiss to remember you by?" Lester slugged Bobby in the arm and said something, but I couldn't hear it. I gave each of the guys a kiss on the cheek and wished them a safe return.

I stood and watched the SUV pull out of the garage and head down the street. When I could no longer see it, I went back up to the fifth floor. "Hey, Hal."

"Hey, Steph. So, you and I are in charge until the boys come back. Should be interesting." He was smiling as he looked at a stack of paperwork.

Grinning at the pile, I pointed and asked, "Um, did Ranger leave paperwork for you?"

"Nope, left it for you."

"Um, sorry Hal. I don't know how to do the paper work. I'm off to the bonds office to pick up files. I might take the girls out for lunch too. I'll check in later. Have fun with the paperwork. Bye." I ran to the elevator laughing. I could hear Hal cursing as I stepped on the elevator.

I walked into the office to see Connie painting her nails and Lula looking through a magazine. "Hey girls. How's it going?" They both stopped and looked at me.

"Huh, new guy says the filing's all done. I think he might just work out." I knew Lula hated filing.

"So, who is the guy? I didn't know Vinnie hired anyone." I sat down on the couch next to Lula and grabbed a magazine.

"I think the pipsqueak is Harry's nephew. He wanted a job, so Harry forced Vinnie to hire him." Lula looked like she was about to fall over laughing. "You should have seen Vinnie when Harry told him he had to hire the kid. Looked like he was about to piss his pants."

"Hey Steph, why are you here? You just got married yesterday. You and Les should be on your honeymoon!" I wondered when Connie would realize that.

I put the magazine down and sighed, "Well, Les, Tank, Ranger, and Bobby left for a mission. They all got called around 3:30 this morning."

"Yeah, my Tankie wasn't too happy 'bout that. We was in the middle of somethin' and his phone rang." So, that is why Lula was looking pissed today.

"Connie, do you have any files for me today? I need to keep busy." I knew if I was busy, I wouldn't be counting the minutes Les had been gone. Dammit, what the hell happened to my control and not needing anyone?

Connie flipped through the files and shook her head, "Sorry, Steph. We don't have any high-bond skips. All of them are in Lula's range."

I looked at Lula and she rolled her eyes. "Let's roll, Lula. I'll help you today. Our men are gone, so we are going to stick together."

"Oh hell yes. Let's go. Oh, we need to stop at McDonald's, I'm starving." Lula grabbed her purse and ran out the door. Either she was starved or in a hurry to pick up some skips. My money was on the food.

OoOoOoOo

_Love it... hate it... let me know! Thanks for the R&R!_


	11. Gangs and Men, Oh My!

_Nope, not mine, no money! Here we go, chapter 11... are you still enjoying? are you bored yet? Let me know what you think! Thanks to everyone who has left a review... you don't know how much I appreciate them!_

**My New Life  
>Gangs and Men, Oh My!<br>SapphireJ**

Hal and I had been in charge for about 10 weeks now. We had brought in some new clients, upgraded a few existing clients and managed to bring in 14 FTA's. All in all, Hal and I kicked ass. With the FTA's, we netted RangeMan over $4.5 million; a few of those FTA's were very high bond.

RangeMan was running smoothly. The paperwork had been kept up, the searches were done by Zip and Junior, and stakeouts were done by everyone. Binkie was even helping Lula bring in some of her FTA's that were a problem.

Everyone was happy; except for me. I missed my husband. We had been married less than 24 hours when he shipped out. I knew this was part of who he is, but still, I wanted time with my husband.

Going to bed was tough; I'd gotten use to having Lester's arms around me all night and waking up to his kisses. Looking at the calendar, I noticed that today was the seventy-third day the guys had been gone. On the way to work, I wondered how many more until they all come back.

Hal and I were heading into gang territory. We had a lead on a high bond FTA and we were going to go talk to his mother. We had just stepped out of the SUV when I heard the gang members going at it; two seconds later, I heard the gun shots. Then it all went dark.

I woke up to the beeping of the monitors and knew I was in the hospital. I opened my eyes and saw Vince sitting next to me.

"Hey, Steph. It's about time you woke up." Vince looked exhausted and worried.

Groaning, I looked around and saw the blasted beeping machine. "How long?"

"You've been out for about 16 hours. You had surgery, bullet nicked your shoulder, and one nicked your neck. Hal just has a flesh wound. He'll be released in a few hours. You, however, will be here over night."

Standing up, Vince grabbed the water cup and offered the straw to me. When I began sipping it, I realized just how thirsty I was and how much it hurt to move.

I sighed. I really hate hospitals. "How did you guys find out we needed help? We didn't get a chance to call it in."

"One of the neighbors called it in. We heard it over the police scanner that two people were down. We checked the GPS on the SUV, saw it was in the area of the shooting, and knew it had to be you guys." Vince took a deep breath. "When we got here, you were heading into surgery. They couldn't wait for us to get here, not with the wound to your neck. Christ, Steph, we were all so worried."

"Hey, I'm here. I'm fine. I'll be out of here in no time." I'd never seen any of the guys looking so lost or worried before. It rather frightened me to see him like that, but then again; it just reminded me he was human.

Sitting back down in his chair and scrubbing his face with his hand, Vince finally asked, "What the hell happened out there?"

"Hal and I had a lead on Roberts. We were going to go talk to his mother. When we opened the doors, I heard the verbal gang fight. We stepped out I heard a gunshot and that was all I remember." I tried to hide my yawn, but it didn't work. I wanted to ask what else happened, but I couldn't get the words out.

"I'm going to go check on Hal and see about his discharge and then I'll be back to check on you. Binkie and Zero are outside your door if you need anything." He leaned down and kissed me on the head. I tried not to show my shock. It wasn't that it bothered me to be touched anymore, but more the fact that none of the guys ever really touched me before unless they had to.

I watched as Vince walked out and then I drifted off to sleep. The next time I woke up, I noticed a weight on my chest. I slowly opened my eyes and saw an arm across my chest. Knowing no one was supposed to be in my bed, I yelled, "What the fuck?" I saw the arm move and heard a few stifled laughs. I opened my eyes further and saw a wall of black.

Once my eyes focused, I noticed I was looking at Ranger, Tank, and Bobby. I followed the arm up to a shoulder and finally a face; my husband's face. Once the shock was gone, I smiled and brushed Lester's hair out of his eyes.

"When did you guys get back?" I tried being quiet as to not wake Lester. He looked exhausted even while sleeping.

Bobby stepped forward and kissed my forehead. "We got back about 3 or 4 hours ago. How are you?"

"I'm sore, but I'll live. How did you know I was here? Was Hal released?" I tried to sit up, but couldn't without waking Lester, so I stayed still.

Ranger nodded, "He was released last night."

Tank came over and squeezed my hand. "As soon as our GPS popped back on the screen, Cal called and told us that you and Hal were shot." He took a deep breath. "When Lester heard that you were injured, he raced here. I don't think the speedometer fell below 135 the whole way here."

I felt the arm around my waist get tighter. Lester kissed my shoulder and sat up a little. "I was so worried. I was afraid I wouldn't get to see my wife again. All I heard was Vince say you had been shot, I tuned everything else out." He laced his fingers with mine and kissed my shoulder again.

I closed my eyes, relishing in the fact that my husband was with me once again when I realized what was said. "Wait, you said Hal was released last night; how long have I been out?"

"You've been out for about 15 hours. Hector and Manny have been outside your door; they said you have been out since before Hal was released. Vince said you woke up once yesterday and talked to him, but fell back asleep." Lester looked up at me before continuing, "When we got here, I needed to be near you, so I crawled in with you. Once I felt your heart beating and could hear you breathing, I fell asleep with you."

Ranger shook his head and did a slight laugh. "You should have seen him when the nurse came in a little bit ago. She looked at him and started to tell him he couldn't be in your bed. He glared at her and gave her a "try to stop me" look and she backed out of the room. She had to send in a male nurse."

Tank was smirking again. "Yeah, that wasn't much better." Tank took a minute to stop laughing before continuing. "The male nurse wanted to check your wounds and I thought Les was going to break the guys hands for touching you. Les stayed right there and made sure the hands didn't _slip_ during their examination."

Lester looked up at me and smiled. "What can I say; no one touches my wife but me. And I have a lot of time to make up for, so expect a _lot_ of touching when you're released." He was wagging his eyebrows and had his wolf grin.

Oh God, do we have to wait until I'm released? I unknowingly licked my lips; or at least I think I did. The next thing I knew, Lester's mouth was on mine. Our hands had minds of their own until I heard throats being cleared. It was then that I remembered we weren't alone. Damn, what my husband can do to me!

Bobby stepped forward and kissed my forehead again. "I'm glad you are going to be okay, One Shot. I think the three of us are going to head home and get some sleep. Lester has already told everyone in the hospital that he is staying until his wife is released. You have two guards outside; let them know if you need anything."

Ranger, Tank, and Bobby shook Lester's hand and nodded at me as they left. "Finally, I get my wife to myself." Lester turned on his side and pulled me into him being careful of my wounds. I still hadn't found out what exactly happened, but that could wait. I needed to sleep next to my husband.

"I love you, Les. I'm glad you're home." I laid my head back and listened to my husband breathing. I could tell he was drifting off, as was I. The last thing I heard made me smile.

"I love you, too, Baby. Now we sleep."


	12. Let's Get Ready to Faint

_You should know the disclaimer by heart by now, but here it goes. None of the characters you recognize are mine, they all belong to JE. I do, however, like to borrow them and put them into a story as I see fit, she doesn't develope all the characters enough, so we get to do that as we see fit ;) The names you don't recognize are MINE! Enjoy and leave some hate, love, or anything else you desire._

**My New Life  
>Let's Get Ready to Faint<br>SapphireJ**

I was released from the hospital the next afternoon. When Lester pulled in, there was another vehicle in the driveway. "Les, who's here?"

"I don't know, Baby. I've not been home at all. I went straight to the hospital." Just as Lester was pulling out his phone for backup, the front door opened. I squeaked, shoved my door open, and ran to the house.

"Rave! Oh my God, what the hell are you doing here? Are the others with you?"

Raven picked me up; hugging me while spinning me around. "We heard you got shot and that Lester was gone. We flew in yesterday to take care of you, but when Zero picked us up at the airport, he told us that Les Man was back. So, we let ourselves in and crashed in your house."

Raven sat me back down on my feet and made sure I was steady. Lester walked up and shook hands with Raven. The front door opened again and out stepped Eagle and Panther. Once again, I screamed and was picked up by Panther.

"Hey One Shot. Don't you ever scare me again." Panther had me hugged so tight, Lester was afraid I couldn't breathe.

"I'm sorry guys. It wasn't my fault." Panther put me down and Eagle gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. I felt Lester walk up behind me and leaned back into him as his arms came around my waist

"Come on One Shot and Green Eyes. We made lunch. I know you have to be starved, hospital food is no good." Eagle held the door open for everyone to head in.

"One Shot, Vince told us that you and Hal were shot at by gang members in a fight. What the hell were you doing in gang territory?" I could tell Eagle was getting pissed, so I had to choose my words carefully.

"E, we were going to talk to the family of a skip. We weren't really in the middle of the gang fight; I think we got hit by stray bullets. Trust me; I wouldn't step into the middle of a gang fight." Nope, never would I do that willingly. I've heard too much about the gangs around here to even attempt to stop a fight between them.

We all went to the kitchen and Panther grabbed me a bottle of water. I looked around at all the guys. I couldn't believe they were all here and just because I got shot. They really were my brothers.

"Rave, I know that look." Raven was looking very restless and like he was having a hard time standing still. His hands kept balling up and relaxing, over and over. "You know where to rumble."

"I need people to rumble with, One Shot. These wimps," he pointed to Eagle and Panter, "don't do it for me anymore. I need fresh meat."

I looked over at Lester and he nodded. "All right guys load up and we'll go to RangeMan." I've never seen men move so fast in my entire life before. My brothers loved going to RangeMan.

We pulled into RangeMan and headed up to the fifth floor. When the doors opened, I was met by a bunch of the men; they all wanted to see for themselves that I was okay.

Once everyone was sure I was fine, I told them why we were there. "Hey, guys. My brothers would like some new rumble partners. Anyone up for a match?"

I saw the look on Cal's face as he headed for the gym. Cal loved taking on Raven. We all filed into the gym and I watched as the guys stretched. Everyone knew that it took Raven a few guys before his need to rumble was gone.

Cal was up first. They danced around each other in the ring. Cal finally threw a punch and Rave dodged it. They went back and forth for about thirty minutes, neither really landing anything. Cal looked over at Tank and that was his mistake. Raven landed a right hook to Cal's jaw and he went down. Raven stood there waiting for Cal to get up, but he didn't; he was knocked out. Bobby and Tank came over and pulled Cal out of the ring.

I went up to Raven and hugged him. "I'm sorry, One Shot. I didn't mean to knock him out."

"Rave, it's okay. He will be fine. Sure, he'll be pissed that he was knocked out, but he will be fine." I felt him relax finally. Raven is not one that likes to actually hurt people unless he has to, so knocking Cal out really upset him.

"I'm okay, One Shot. I wish you weren't hurt so we could rumble." He kissed my forehead and looked out at the guys. "Who is the one on the end?"

I looked out and saw whom he was talking about. He would be a good match for Rave as well. "Hey Binkie, you're up."

Binkie nodded and headed over to stretch. Bobby and Tank came back in after getting Cal to his room and making sure he was okay.

"That was some punch, Raven. I don't think I've ever seen someone knock out Cal. Good going my man." Tank shook Raven's hand and then leaned in to tell him something. "Binkie likes to punch with his left. Everyone knows he's right handed, but his left is the powerful one. Watch it. He will usually take three steps back, raise his right, and then throw the left."

Raven nodded that he understood. I saw a flash of worry before it was replaced with his "rumble" look. I kissed his cheek and left the ring. I walked back to Lester, Eagle, and Panther and sat with them.

Lester hooked an arm around me and pulled me to him, "He okay, Baby?"

"Yeah, knocking out Cal worried him, but he is fine now. I think he is back in his zone." I tilted my head and planted a kiss on Les' lips before turning my attention back to the ring.

Raven and Binkie were throwing punches and kicks, some were landing and some were barely missing. I could see the look in Raven's eyes; he was on alert and not about to get hurt. I saw Binkie take two steps backwards, look around, and take a third. Just as Tank said, the right hand came up just before he threw the left. Raven saw it, blocked him and landed a punch of his own.

Binkie fell down and I saw worry in Raven's face. Vince was counting and when he reached 8, Binkie got up. Raven smiled, but didn't give him a chance to get another punch in. Binkie didn't go down, but we all saw his head snap back and the blood from his lip went flying.

They danced around for another thirty minutes, both landing punches, kicks and leg swipes. Finally Vince called the match after seeing both of them worn out. They shook hands and did a "man hug" as I call them.

"So, Rav," I hollered out to him, "Got the need out?"

"Yeah, One Shot. Thanks for bringing me here." Raven walked over and enveloped me in a huge hug, "I'm still sorry for hurting your friend. Think we can go check on him?"

I was about to tell him yes, when Cal walked in. "No need to come check on me, my friend. I'm fine. That was one hell of a punch." Cal was rubbing his jaw and smiling at Raven.

I noticed Raven relax when he saw that Cal was truly okay. After the guys all got cleaned up, we sat around Tank's apartment and talked a little before we headed back to the house. I was getting tired and I knew Lester needed more sleep.

We got back to the house and Panther said he was fixing dinner for everyone and that Les and I should go grab some sleep. Eagle and Raven were in the living room watching TV. Lester and I were heading up the stairs when my cell phone rang, so I went to the living room to get it.

With a smile on my face, I opened the phone and cheerily answered, "Helloooo."

"Aaniin, my Love."

I heard a voice I'd not heard in a long time, a voice I never thought I'd hear again. I looked at Eagle, Raven and Lester with sheer terror. Just before I dropped the phone and passed out, I answered the person on the phone. "Erik."

_Did you see that coming?_


	13. Was I Dreaming?

_Here you go... the next installment. This is where some of the flashbacks will start; I hope it will help with any questions you have!_

**My New Life  
>Was I Dreaming?<br>SapphireJ**

I awoke to a horrible smell. When I opened my eyes, I saw Panther had a tube of smelling salts under my nose. I smacked his hand to get them away from me and when I sat up, I saw four sets of concerned eyes looking at me.

"What happened? Why are you all looking at me like that?" I was trying to get up, but my body didn't want to respond.

"Beautiful, you fainted." Lester looked at me, his face full of concern.

Huh…fainted. What caused me to faint? We went to RangeMan, Raven rumbled, we came home, was going to nap, phone rang. Fuck. "Erik. Oh shit, it was him on the phone."

I looked at Eagle and saw the confirmation in his eyes. "I thought you said you would take care of him. That I didn't need to worry about him anymore. Christ, Eagle, I just got out of therapy last month. WHAT THE FUCK?" I was screaming at him, but I couldn't help it. My world was crashing in around me and I had no control over it at that moment.

"One Shot, I told you we would take care of him, yes. But we never found him." Eagle got up and started pacing the floor. "I'm sorry I never told you. I figured you were getting better, you were in therapy, and you didn't need to worry. I didn't think he'd find you."

I stood up and ran to my basement. Eagle reached out for me, but I glared at him and kept going. I was so fucking furious with them, but I knew I had no right to be. I needed to take my anger out on the bag, or I would be taking it out on one of them and they didn't deserve it.

I turned on my music and blasted AC/DC's Hell's Bells. I started pounding on my bag. I couldn't believe they lied to me. HE lied to me. He told me he would take care of Erik that I wouldn't have to worry. If only he'd told me the truth, I'd have been prepared for this.

I saw Lester come down the stairs; he came over and grabbed the bag to hold it still. I landed harder punches that way and he knew that was what I needed. I didn't care about the pain in my shoulder. I knew I'd pay for it later, but I needed to do this.

After five minutes, Lester let go of the bag and grabbed me. I flinched and started to squirm. "Baby, it's me. Please, don't fight me." Lester was trying to get me to calm down, but I wanted nothing of the sort. I needed to fight; fight or flight and I was done running.

I couldn't help it. All I could see at that moment was Erik's face and felt his hands on me. I tried to fight; my arms were pinned at my side. I did the only other thing I could think of; I let myself go slack. I slid to the floor with the arms wrapped around me.

I cried. I cried like I hadn't cried in a long time. I cried for what was taken from me that night. I cried for the friend I lost that night. I cried because I didn't know what else to do. I cried because in that one moment, I had been so weak and not able to fight back. My whole world changed and I was never going to be able to take it back.

I felt myself being lifted and carried. I didn't look to see who it was; only one person smelled like Heaven to me and that was Lester. My husband.

He carried me upstairs to our bedroom, laid me in the bed, and he curled up with me. He held me tight and kept telling me it would be okay. How could it be okay? Erik was out there, he found me. It was only a matter of time before he came for me.

I know he wants revenge. I saw the look in his eyes when I left him standing there bleeding.

_Two weeks after I had told Lester the story with Erik, he convinced me I needed to talk to someone that could help me. At first, I was reluctant. He hooked me up with a counselor the guys use when they come home from a mission. _

"_Hello Stephanie. I'm Dr. Lynn. Please, have a seat." I sat down in the chair. Huh, I always thought that shrinks had couches to lie down on._

"_So, how about you tell me what brings you in here. What are your goals for these sessions?" She didn't have a pad of paper or a pen; she just sat there staring at me._

"_Goals?" What type of goals should I set? I can't stand to be touched, I hate being alone with most men; although I'm learning to trust the guys at work._

"_Yes, what do you want to accomplish before you leave here a new woman?"_

_I wasn't sure what to tell her. I knew what I wanted, but how do I tell her? "I want to not be scared of people touching me. I want to be able to hug someone and not flinch. I want Lester to be able to touch me and me not think of horrible things. I honestly try not to, but I can't help it."_

"_Why don't we start with why you don't like to be touched. What happened?" She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. I wanted to trust her, have someone to talk to about this, but it was still too hard._

_I started telling her about my life in Arizona, starting out with why I left Trenton and how I met my brothers. I eventually ended by telling her my last in Arizona and what happened with Erik._

I awoke with a start when the bedroom door opened. Lester came over to the bed and sat down. "Hey Baby. I was just coming to check on you. How are you doing?"

I reached up and grabbed his hand. I knew he was apprehensive about touching me right now, but I needed his touch. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. "Lay with me. Please, I need to feel you. Need you to hold me."

He stood up, took his clothes off, and climbed into bed with me. I curled into him and breathed him in. He was my savior…my rock. He held me tight and rubbed circles on my back and I felt the tension ease.

I looked up at him and saw his blank face. I reached up and touched his cheek. "Lester, please. Don't shut me out. Not right now. I need you. Please." I felt the tears start sliding down my cheeks; how much more am I going to cry over the past?

"I'm not shutting you out, Baby. I just don't know what to do." He ran his hand through his spikey blond hair and sighed. I hated seeing him like this, as I know he hates when I'm hurting. There's nothing he can do for me. Nothing anyone can do for me. This is my fight for life.

I laid there with Lester for a while and then decided that I couldn't do it anymore. I needed to get up and get on with my life. I needed to go talk to Eagle and find out what happened and why he didn't tell me.

As I started to sit up, Lester held me to him. "I called RangeMan and had them trace the call." I waited for him to go on; I figured he had something more to tell me and I was right. "The call traced to Newark."

I couldn't breathe. My heart was in my throat and I couldn't breathe. He was near. He was so close. I've never been scared so much in my life. Yes, I knew how to protect myself, but Erik was a lot bigger and stronger than me.

Erik was dangerous when he wasn't pissed. A pissed off Erik was bad; he would kill you first and ask questions later. I sat there trembling as I realized just how close he was and that if he wanted to, he could be here in a matter of minutes. I looked at the clock to judge how much time had passed since he called. Then I looked to see if the security alarm was set; it was.

I shuddered once more when I thought about the guys downstairs and Lester; what would happen if Erik did show up here. As much as I wanted him dead, I didn't want his blood on the hands of my brothers or husband; I didn't want them to go to jail and pay the price for protecting me.

Lester took my face in his hands and made sure I was looking at him. "He will not touch you again, Steph. No matter what, he will never touch you again. I promise you that."

_Please, don't forget to leave a review. I appreciate every one of them! Thanks for reading!_


	14. Is it Possible?

_Sorry if I missed responding to your review... I tried to get them all! If there is anything you have a question about, let me know... I"ll let you know if it is answered in a later chapter or maybe, if it isn't, then I can write it in still. I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!_

**My New Life  
>Is it Possible?<br>SaphireJ**

Lester and I got out of bed and got dressed; I was hungry and needed to think about a few things before I decided what to do.

When we got downstairs, I heard more voices than should have been in my house. I walked into the living room to see Eagle, Panther, Raven, Ranger, Tank, Hal, Bobby, and Ram. They were all talking about Erik. Fuck. I didn't want anyone else to know about Erik.

I turned and ran back upstairs. Lester followed me into the bedroom.

"Baby, what's wrong?" concern showing in his eyes.

"Damn it. Lester, I didn't want anyone to know. You don't know how it feels." Tears leaked out and I was trying hard to stop them. My voice was more harsh that I intended, but I was upset.

"Steph, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do." Lester came over and wrapped his arms around me from the back. "I called and had them trace the call. Ranger wanted to know why I needed the call traced and I told him someone was possibly after you. He takes all our safety very seriously."

I leaned back into Lester. I knew it wasn't his fault and he was right. I needed help to keep Erik away. However, I still didn't like that everyone was going to know now.

"I'm sorry, Les. I just…I don't know. I know everyone is going to look at me differently now. They are going to know what Erik did to me." The tears were still leaking down my face and my shoulder was starting to hurt, but I knew I had other things to think about.

"Steph, listen to me. Yes, they know what Erik did to you and they want to help you. They are your family now and they help family. Please, they're not going to look at you any differently. They are here to help find a way to get Erik." Les kissed my head and squeezed me to him, letting me absorb some of his strength.

Lester held me until I was relaxed. "How is your shoulder? Do you need any pain meds?"

I did, but I didn't want to take them. "I'll just take some Advil."

After taking the Advil, washing my face, blowing my nose, and taking a deep breath, we headed downstairs and I was met with a lot of eyes. I took another deep breath and went to the kitchen for some water. I knew they all wanted to talk, but I just wasn't ready yet.

Lester stayed in the living room with the guys, but I knew someone had followed me. "One Shot, can we talk?"

I grabbed a water bottle and headed downstairs. I knew Eagle would follow me and he didn't disappoint.

I sat down on the couch and waited for him to start. "Look, I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you everything. I tried to find Erik when we went back to Arizona last year. But he was gone." Eagle sat down next to me on the couch and sighed. "Stephanie, look at me. Please."

I looked up at Eagle in shock. It has been almost five years since he has spoken my given name.

"I love you. I would never hurt you intentionally and I would give my life to protect you. I have searched for Erik for the past year."

"Why? If he left Arizona, why did you keep looking for him? Why didn't you just tell me that he was gone?" I tried to keep my voice even, but in the end, I was yelling.

"I wanted to tell you, but then every time I thought of telling you, I was afraid that you would see me as a failure." Running his hand over his face, Eagle looked defeated. "I failed to do the one thing I told you I would take care of. I know I should have told you or Lester and for that I'm truly sorry."

I sat there listening to Eagle, but not really hearing him. I had something else on my mind; something that disturbed me more than Erik calling me.

"Baby, are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry. I was just thinking." I hadn't realized Lester had come downstairs. "Les, can we go for a drive? I need to get away for a little bit."

"Sure thing, Beautiful. I'll go tell the guys we are leaving and meet you in the garage." Lester went upstairs told everyone we were leaving.

"Eagle, I need to get some fresh air. Lester and I are leaving for a little bit. I hope we can talk when I get back." I didn't want to alert him that something was wrong, but I needed to get some answer and fast.

"Of course, One Shot. I'll head upstairs and see if I can help the guys with anything." He came over to hug me and give me a kiss, but when he reached out for me, I flinched and he noticed. Letting his hands drop to his sides, I heard him mumble, "Shit."

OoOoOoOo

Once we were loaded in the SUV, Lester turned to me, "Where to baby?"

"Can we go to RangeMan? I have something I need to talk to you about."

Lester looked at me with concern, but agreed and ten minutes later, we pulled into RangeMan parking garage. Lester took us up to the conference room, and shut and locked the door.

"What's wrong, Steph?"

I took a deep breath. I already knew the answer to my first question, but I had to ask him. "Are our RangeMan cell phone numbers listed? Can anyone call information and get our numbers?" My hands were twisting in my lap and I couldn't sit still.

"Steph, you know that. The _only_ people that have our numbers are those we give it to. With our line of work, we can't have them public."

I sat there staring at him, willing him to read my mind. I didn't want to say it out loud; I knew once I said it, it would make it true.

I saw the moment Lester realized what I wasn't saying. I saw his look go from concerned to flat out pissed. He stood up and starting packing the conference room and I could tell he was running things through his mind.

He stopped, turned, and looked at me. "That is why you wanted to go for fresh air. You didn't want to talk about this at the house. FUCK! Any idea who?"

I shook my head. "Only one of three could have done it and it scares me more than anything to think they had anything to do with it."

Lester sat down next to me and took my hand in his. "Steph, any chance someone else in Arizona could have gotten a hold of your number?"

I shook my head, "No, I told them they that if they kept my number in their phone, they had to keep it under a different name. All three of them have my number under Diana Prince."

Lester smiled at that; evidently, he knew Wonder Woman.

"Yeah, Baby. I know that was Wonder Woman's name. I remember you telling me awhile ago that you always wanted to be Wonder Woman." For a split second I could see a smile on Les' face.

"Well, very few people know that I wanted to be like her, not even them. I don't even think they know who Diana Prince is, just a made up name to them. I don't know what to do. I trusted them with my life and now I'm scared. I don't like being scared Les."

I blinked and found myself sitting in my husband's lap. "I will help you figure this out. I won't let anything happen to you. I will get the help of every man in this building to keep you safe. I love you."

He kissed me hard and deep. Just as my hands found my way under his shirt, there was a knock at the door.

I got off Lester's lap and opened the door. There stood Tank, Ranger, Bobby, Hal, and Ram. They walked into the room and I shut the door behind them. Ram gave me a quick hug and looked me in the eyes. "Are you okay, Steph?"

I shook my head and told everyone I was scared, but I'd be fine.

"Ranger, Steph and I were talking and we have a problem."

"I know Lester. We, the five of us, figured it out at the house. We didn't say anything other than we needed to get back to RangeMan and get some work done. We left the three of them at the house; not sure how you two wanted to handle it."

I looked around the room at all the guys. I knew I could trust them, I really did. Nevertheless, part of me didn't want to trust anyone but myself right now. Every time I trust someone, I get hurt.


	15. It was Slick!

_Here you go... the next chapter. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone... I don't own the ones you know, just the ones you don't ;)_

**My New Life  
>It Was Slick<br>SapphireJ**

Lester and I headed home after deciding that I needed to find out who the enemy is. I really didn't want to think it was one of my brothers; they wouldn't do that to me, would they? No one at RangeMan knew about Erik other than Lester and I know he wouldn't do that. The only other friend that knows is Mary Lou and she wouldn't. That only leaves Raven, Eagle or Panther.

I had a huge knot in my stomach and it got worse when I thought about Erik. I opened the door and walked into the living room. Raven was sitting on the couch talking on his phone. When he looked up and saw Les and I he looked worried for a second. "Hey, I need to go. I'll call you later and we can discuss this more."

Raven hung up the phone and came to give me a hug. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," I said. Looking around, I asked, "Where is everyone else?"

Running his hands through his hair, Rave replied, "Panther said he wanted some alone time, so he went out for a walk or something. Eagle said he left you a note and took off." Raven pointed to the envelope on the mantle.

I grabbed the envelope and ripped it open.

_One Shot,_

_I am sorry for keeping things from you. I know I should have told you. I will understand if you never trust me again._

_I need to get away for a few days and talk to someone. I'll be fine, don't worry._

_Please tell P & R that I'll call them in a few days. I just need to do this alone._

_I really do love you and I'm so sorry. I hope one day you'll forgive me._

_Eagle_

I folded the letter back up and stuck it in my pocket. I am so freaking confused.

I walked into the kitchen, grabbed a coke and stood there looking out the window. I jumped when Lester came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. "Hey, Baby. Deep thoughts?"

"Just thinking about certain people." I turned around and noticed it was just Les and I. "Where did Rave go?"

"He went downstairs to pound the bag. Said he needed to blow off some steam."

I nodded and looked at Les, "Come outside with me?"

"Sure." He grabbed my hand and opened the door for me. We headed outside and sat down on the chaise. Lester sat behind me and pulled me so I was leaned against him. "Talk to me, Steph."

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I know it was one of them. I just don't know which one. I have my suspicions, but I'm not one hundred percent sure. I just don't know why he would betray me like that." I tried to stop the tears that were slowly leaking out.

"I wish I knew. I wish I knew a way to find out for sure and the sooner the better. I want to find Erik and keep him away from you. I won't let him hurt you again." I could hear the anger in Les' voice, but I knew he was one that would never hurt me. "I hope you know you can count on me. I won't let you down."

"I know. You are about the only one I know I can trust right now. I know I can trust the guys at RangeMan, but knowing that someone I consider a brother probably did this, I'm not very trusting right now."

The back door opened and Raven stepped out. He looked at Lester and me and sat down next to us. "Can I talk to you two for a minute?"

"Of course, Rave." I turned to face him. Raven never asked to talk unless it was something important, and then you made sure to listen.

"One Shot, what I want to tell you, needs to stay between us for now. Please promise me that."

I looked at the ground, took a deep breath, and looked back up, "Rave, I'd love to promise you that, but I just can't. I can't make promises I can't keep, you know that."

He sighed and ran his hands over his face. I'd never seen him like this before; like he was fighting with himself over what to tell. If this weren't such a serious situation, I'd find it funny.

"Steph, I think I know who gave your number to Erik. He didn't mean any harm. He just didn't know that Erik wasn't to have your number."

I sat up and looked at Raven. "Who, Rave? Who do you think gave my number to Erik?"

Raven looked down at the ground before he answered. He whispered it so quietly, I almost missed it. "Slick"

I saw dots dancing around my eyes. Suddenly I felt my head being pushed between my legs and heard Lester telling me to push up against his hand. Fuck. I hadn't thought about Slick in years. I had hoped to forget him and had until just this moment.

Jumping up from the chaise, I started yelling, "Raven. How the HELL did HE get a hold of my number? And, again, why the FUCK wasn't I told HE had MY number? What the hell else are you guys keeping from me?"

I was pacing now, I couldn't sit still. The life I had built for myself was falling apart. Every wall I had put up, was coming down and coming down fast. I needed to get out of here. If they had my number, they most likely knew where I lived. I couldn't let them find me.

I ran into the house and up to my bedroom. I grabbed my bag out of the closet and started throwing things in it. I found my guns and knives and strapped them on me. I went my closet and dug in the back. I found the box I was looking for; the box that held my extra guns and ammo.

Lester came in behind me to see what I was doing. "Baby, where are you going?"

"I can't stay here Les. They will find me and kill me. I can't let them do that. I have to find them first."

Lester came up behind me and tried to get me to stop and stand still. "Steph, please, tell me what is going on. Who is Slick? Why are you scared of him?"

I moved out of his reach and kept pacing. If I sat down, I was going to lose it. "Slick is, was, Erik's best friend. Slick was there, Lester."

Lester froze with his hand in mid air, reaching out to touch me. "Where, Baby?"

"THERE! Slick was _there_ when Erik had me tied up and when he raped me. I forgot about Slick until Raven mentioned him. God how could I have blocked him out? I have to go." I started throwing things in my bag again.

Lester wrapped his arms around me and held me tight until I fell to the floor. Once again, I cried and cried and cried. More of that night was coming back to me. I knew there was more, but could never remember. Even Dr. Lynn knew there was more, but she couldn't help me remember either. She said I'd remember when it was time. Well, I guess it's time and now I don't want to remember.

I looked up to see Raven standing there with a look of shock on his face. "What do you mean, Slick was there? You never fucking said Slick was there." He looked around and then back at me. "God dammit, Stephanie, what do you mean he was _THERE_?"

I started to cry yet again and started shaking.

Les looked at Raven and squeezed me tighter. "Raven, I think you need to leave the room and give me and Stephanie a few minutes alone."

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry Rave. I didn't remember until you said his name. But, yes, Slick was there that night." Tears running down my face, but nothing I could do to stop them. The more I talked, the more vivid the memories became. I could feel my arms and legs tied to the bed. I could feel hands all over me. The more I remembered, I began to shiver.

With more anger in his voice than I ever remember, Raven asked, "What did he do to you, One Shot? I need to know."

"I can't. I can't live that night again. I don't want to live that night," I cried. I was violently shaking my head, begging, "Please, don't make me do this. I don't want to."

Lester held me tight to him and let me cry it all out. I remember feeling him lift me up and carry me to bed. He laid down next to me and held me all night until I cried myself to sleep from sheer exhaustion.

a/n: Sorry this is a day late... my family had a hard decision to make yesterday. For those of you that knew about my lab last year (yes, the one that needed surgery because she swallowed some wires that became embedded in her stomach)... we had to put her down yesterday. She was a very loving dog and is missed by us all.


	16. Oh the Memories

**My New Life  
>Oh the Memories<br>SapphireJ**

I woke up the next morning wrapped in Lester's arms. I lifted my head to look at the clock. 8:14am. I kissed Lester's chest and got out of bed. I headed to the bathroom to take care of business and started the shower.

Stepping into the shower and letting the hot water pound down on me, I traced a scar on the side of my neck and it all came flooding back to me.

* * *

><p><em>He carried me to my bedroom, laid me on my bed and tied me up. I kept my eyes closed; I couldn't look at him. I couldn't scream; my mouth was gagged. I felt my wrists being tied up at the same time as my ankles. How is that possible? Oh fuck, there are two of them.<em>

"_Make sure her wrists are tied tight, I don't want her getting loose." _

_I stiffened at the voice; I knew it. He has always scared me. I never understood why Erik would hang out with him. The voice belonged to Slick, but he should have been named Slime._

"_I got it taken care of. She will not be getting out of this." I felt Erik put cool metal around my wrists. What the fuck? I heard the unmistakable click of the hand cuffs. I jerked my arms and heard laughing._

"_Open your eyes my blue eyed beauty." _

_I clinched my eyes shut even tighter. I would not look at him. _

_I felt someone between my legs and heard a zipper. Oh God, not again. Please not again. Someone help me._

_I felt him and knew what was about to happen. I tried to squirm away, but I was trapped. Oh the pain. Someone kill me now, please._

"_Open your eyes, bitch. I want to see the fear in them." Slick was moving in and out roughly. I could feel myself tearing. I felt teeth on my nipple as he bit and pulled. I felt something run down the side of my breast; he must have drawn blood._

_He finally pulled out. "Your turn Erik. Fuck her good and hard, she likes that." _

_I felt Erik raping me again. I had shut myself down at this point. I didn't care what happened, I just wanted them to finish and leave me alone._

_Erik was trying to kiss me. I tried to turn my head, but when I did, I felt something slice down my neck. Shit, that hurt._

"_You fight again bitch, and I'll slit your throat. You asked for this and now you're going to take it."_

_I laid still and stopped trying to fight again. I let Erik and Slick do what they wanted. It was no use, they were stronger than me and I was immobile._

_Finally after what must have been hours, I heard one the door shut. Someone left. I laid still for a minute, listening, but heard nothing. I tried opening my eyes a little and saw Slick sitting there looking at me._

_Fuck, why was he still here? _

_I felt him walk closer to the bed. I felt him untie my ankles and he let my wrists free. I had no feeling in them anymore, I was completely numb._

"_Now the real fun begins my blue eyed beauty. It is just you and me now. Don't worry, Erik won't be back to interrupt us."_

_He flipped me over to my stomach. I felt a liquid slide over my ass and then his hands on me moving the liquid around. Oh shit. No, please, God no._

_I tried screaming, but I couldn't. I was still gagged. "That's right bitch, scream for me." He rammed his dick in my ass and I passed out from the pain._

_When I came to, I was on my back again. I opened my eyes a little and screamed. Slick as hovering above me. _

"_Now, I've been giving you pleasure all night, now it is your turn to pleasure me." _

_I tried to look away, but felt something against my head. Then I heard the "click" of the safety being switched off._

"_That's right bitch, I have gun. Now you will pleasure me or I'll blow your brains out. IF you try to do anything funny, I'll blow your brains out."_

_I wasn't sure what would be better, have my brains blown out to end my pain and suffering or just do what he wanted and hope he left after that._

_Was I ready to die? Was I ready to leave everyone behind? Oh God, let the pain end._

_I made the only decision I could and did what he wanted. I hated every second of it, but knew if I could get past this, then I'd be fine. I'd find a way to heal and put this behind me._

_After he was done, Slick got dressed, kissed me and headed out of my bedroom. "Thanks for the wonderful night my blue eyed beauty. I'll be seein' ya 'round." And I heard the door shut._

* * *

><p>"Steph? Beautiful, are you okay?"<p>

I opened my eyes and saw Lester kneeling in the shower with me. I had been crying and didn't realize it.

Looking at him, I whispered, "I remember it all."

Lester turned the water off and grabbed a few towels. He wrapped one around me and picked me up. He put me on the counter as he dried me off and then carried me to the bedroom. He laid me in bed and crawled in with me.

He held me tight and waited for me to talk.

"I remember all that happened; things that I didn't ever want to think about again. I know what I wasn't able to talk to Dr. Lynn about."

Les hugged me tighter, "I won't push you, but I'm here if you want to talk. Nothing you tell me will change the way I look at you. I love you with all my heart. You are my life, Steph. I will help you deal with what happened in the past, just like last time. But you are not going to lose me. _Ever_."

I listened to what he was saying. He has gotten to know me so well. He knows that I live in Denial land about this.

I snuggled back against him for his warmth and strength. "I don't want to talk right now. I'm exhausted. But, I will talk to you in a little bit. Please, stay with me?"

I felt him nod his head as his arm tightened around me. He knew exactly what I needed.

I dozed off dreaming about how he had helped me in the last year. He had helped me more than Dr. Lynn. She allowed me to talk without the fear of being looked at differently. But, Lester, he made it possible for me to get over my fear of people touching me.

* * *

><p>"<em>Steph, I want to help you and I think I know how to start." Lester stood in front of me with his hands on my shoulders.<em>

"_How? I flinch every time someone starts to touch me. You are the only person around here that I'm comfortable with and I don't even know why. I trust you, but I can't explain it."_

"_Steph, if you trust me, then trust that I won't let anything or anyone hurt you. I want to help you. Please let me try."_

"_Okay. But please, promise you will go slow."_

"_We will. I want to take you to RangeMan. Do you trust the guys there?"_

_I thought about it. I knew most of the guys there, but had only really worked with a few of them. The ones I had worked with, I felt I could trust. "I think I can trust Bobby, Ram, Tank and Ranger. The rest I don't really know that well yet."_

"_Okay, then we will use them first. Come on, let's go."_

_We drove to RangeMan but Lester wouldn't tell me what his plan was. I was a little worried, but tried to believe in the trust I had for Lester. He wouldn't push to fast. We got to the fifth floor and Lester looked around. He led me into the conference room and told me he'd be back in a few minutes._

_The door opened and Lester, Bobby, Tank, Ranger and Ram walked through. They all took a seat and just looked at me. I was starting to feel uncomfortable and Lester sensed that._

"_Steph, they are here to help, not hurt you. I want you to walk around and place a hand on each of their shoulders."_

_I looked at him like he was silly. How the hell was this going to help me? _

"_Please, just do it. Trust me on this."_

_I got up and started with Lester. I had no problems putting my hands on him. We hadn't done anything other than hold each other, but I knew things were getting close to the point of going farther._

_I left Lester and headed towards Ram. I knew I could trust him; he was my partner. We have talked many times. While he doesn't know what I've gone through, he knows I have hang-ups._

_I start to touch Ram's shoulder, but I held back. I realized then what Lester was getting at. I needed to be comfortable touching others before I'd be comfortable with them touching me._

_Les came up behind me and starting softly talking in my ear. I think I was the only one who could hear what he was saying._

"_It's okay, Beautiful. He won't hurt you. You are safe here. He is just going to sit there and let you put your hand on his shoulder. You can do this. I believe in you." He kissed me just below my ear and wrapped his arm around me in a quick hug._

_I put my hand on Ram's shoulder. I instantly wanted to remove it, but I forced myself to leave it there. As I had my hand there, I felt myself let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Why was it so fucking hard to do something so simple? _

_I left my hand on Ram's shoulder for a few minutes. When I felt it was long enough, I moved on to Bobby, Ranger and then Tank. It was a little easier to do it each time I moved on. I went around the room three times, touching their shoulder's longer each time. It was a small step, but it was something that I could now do without thinking too much about it._

_I sat back down in my chair and smiled at the men. They had no idea why I needed to do this, but they were willing to help me in any way possible, no questions asked._

* * *

><p>I woke up to Lester talking on his phone. I looked at the clock and noticed we had been asleep for a few hours.<p>

"Thank you. I'll ask her and call you back to let you know."

Lester looked over at me with worry in his eyes. Oh shit, this can't be good.

_*Thanks for R&R's! Please let me know what you think of these last few chapters. As usual...if you know them, they aren't mine...but Erik, Panther, Eagle, Raven and Slick are mine ;)_


	17. Don't be mad at me, Please?

_You should know the drill... she owns them, not me. She makes the money off them, not me. But, if you don't know them from her books, they are mine ;)_

**My New Life  
>Don't Be Mad at Me, Please?<br>SapphireJ**

Timidly, I asked, "Who was that, Les?"

"That was Dr. Lynn. She just wanted to see how you were doing since you stopped your appointments last month. I told her that I think we might be starting them up again. She said to give her a call." He leaned over and kissed me softly on the lips. "How's the shoulder and neck, baby?"

"I'm fine. A little sore, but not too bad. I'd like to make an appointment with Dr. Lynn soon, but…" I took a deep breath. I knew I needed to tell Lester all of what I remembered.

"Do it when you are ready. She will have time for you, don't worry." Les ran his hand up and down my arm, comforting me as I took the time to gather my thoughts.

"I need to talk to you first, before I talk to her. I need for you to know what happened. I don't want any secrets between us, especially something like this."

"When you're ready, I'll listen."

There was a knock at our door and last I knew only Raven was here. "Come in." Lester sat up in the bed and reached for the water bottle.

Raven and Panther walked into our bedroom. Panther was the first to talk. "You okay, One Shot?"

I looked at him and nodded my head. I couldn't lie to them.

"I need to talk to you two, but first I need to get dressed. How about you guys head downstairs and I'll be down in a few." They both left the room and closed the door behind them.

Lester looked at me and gently asked, "How much do you trust them, Steph?"

I sighed and thought about it. "I trust them with my life. They have never hurt me before and they have never lied to me as far as I know. I honestly don't think P and Rave had anything to do with Erik getting my number. I do want to know how Slick got my number, but I can't blame them if they gave it to him. They didn't know. Hell, I didn't really know until earlier."

I looked over at Lester. He had such beautiful green eyes. His eyes showed every emotion he was feeling. Right now, he was worried.

"Lester, I want to tell you what I remembered, but I don't want to do it twice in one day. Would you be upset if I told you the same time I told them?"

Lester hugged me tight and kissed me. "Steph, you do what you need to do. If you only want to say it once, then we will all hear it together. Come on, let's get dressed and head downstairs."

OoOoOoOo

We met the guys in the living room. They had coffee for Lester and I and some bagels. These guys always knew what I needed.

Lester and I sat on the couch while the other two sat in the chairs. I took a drink of my coffee and when I sat it back on the table, Lester pulled me into his lap. He knew this was going to be hard.

"First off, I want you guys to know I didn't lie to you. I just never remembered that Slick was there. I blocked that part out. Dr. Lynn knew I was blocking something out, but we never figured out what it was. I thought it was just that Erik had raped me more times than I remembered."

"When Raven told me that he thought Slick gave my number to Erik, I remembered some of that night. When I took a shower this morning, everything came back to me like it just happened."

"Rave, you asked me years ago how I got my scar under my ear. I told you I didn't remember, that it must have been in a fight. In the shower, I remembered how I got it. I got that scar from Slick."

I saw Raven tense up. He may be the youngest of my brothers, but he is the meanest one when you piss him off. Everyone thinks that Eagle is the toughest and that Raven is just laid back. I guess no one has seen him pissed off that a loved one was hurt. I've seen him break a mans arm in two seconds for hurting his sister. I know what would happen if he ever got a hold of Erik and, after my conversation, Slick.

"One Shot. Please, I want…no, I _need_ to know what happened." Raven was about to start pacing, I could tell.

"Rave, I need you to stay here while I talk. I'm only going to say this once. Please."

I saw him nod and knew that he would do whatever it took to keep his temper under control and not storm out. Panther was sitting in the chair with his elbows on his knees; fingers steepled under his chin.

I felt Lester's arms tighten around me, giving me comfort and strength. I told my story from start to finish as I had before, but this time I was able to fill in the missing blanks. When I was done, I looked at the three men in my living room. I saw the rage and fury in their eyes. For the first time, I was actually scared to be in the same room as them.

Lester must have sensed my mood; he leaned in and kissed my temple and started rubbing circles on my back. He turned my chin to him so he could see my eyes. "Baby, you are safe now. No one will _ever_ hurt you again. I _will_ make sure of that. I love you and I will protect you. You don't have to be afraid of me. Please, tell me you know that."

"I know in my heart you would never hurt me. It's not that I'm afraid of you; I'm just afraid of the look in your eyes." I kissed him softly on the lips and felt my fear vanish.

I saw the look in Raven's eye and knew where he was about to go. Raven and Panther got up, gave me a kiss on the head and headed to the basement. I heard "Welcome to the Jungle" blast out of the speakers and knew that the guys were about to rumble.

I leaned back against Lester's chest and breathed him in. "Les, talk to me. What are you thinking?" I felt him take a deep breath and slowly let it out. I knew he was trying to get his anger under control and find the right words for what he wanted to say.

"Steph, we will find these two and they will be dealt with. They will _never_ hurt anyone again. I'll personally make sure of that."

"Les, no. I don't want you to have anything to do with it. I can't have you going to jail. I need you here, with me."

"Baby, I won't be going to jail. Trust me. Besides, they'd have to find the bodies first and that is not about to happen."

I knew what he was saying and I knew it was true. This man would kill for my safety, of that I have no doubt.

I was about to say something but jumped when I heard a voice. "No one is going to go to jail. And no one will ever find the bodies." We hadn't heard Eagle come back in the house.

I looked at Eagle and could tell he was fighting exhaustion and he was pissed as hell.

"I found both of them. I know where they are both hiding out and I know _exactly_ what the fuck happened that night. Why did you tell me? Why did you keep it from me about Slick?"

I stood up and went to him. My arms instinctively went around his waist and I hugged him tight. "I didn't keep things from you on purpose. I just didn't remember. I just remembered last night when Rave mentioned Slick. Don't be mad at me, please."

He hugged me tight and kissed my head. "I'm not mad sweetheart; at least not at you. I'm sorry I left the other day, but I had to find him. To make it up to you. I couldn't stand the way you were looking at me. It killed me to see that look directed at me. I'm sorry I kept that from you."

I sat back down in Lester's lap as Panther and Raven came upstairs. We all sat and waited for Eagle to talk. "I heard when the guys said they traced the call to Newark. When I knew where the call came from, I knew where he was. I went to check it out to make sure. He is crashing in Newark with Slick. I thought about taking them both out on my own, but I'm not stupid."

"I came back here for P and Rave. Lester, you are a good man, you don't need to be involved in this; however, if you want to be, I won't stop you."

Lester wasted no time, "When can we leave? I want this taken care of yesterday." I could feel Lester tense up under me.

"We can roll out anytime."

Lester pulled his phone out and pushed number 2. "Hey, it's me. She's doing better, just sore. Can you come keep her company for the night? No, I have something I need to take care of. No, I've got it covered. Be here in fifteen." He flipped his phone shut and hugged me tight.

"Bobby and Ram are going to come over to keep you company for a while, okay?"

I nodded, not able to find my voice. I knew what they were going to go do. I wanted it done, but I felt bad that I was involving them. I felt bad for wanting those monsters dead, but relief that they'd never be able to hurt someone else.

I got up and went to the kitchen for some water. Raven followed me. "One Shot, I know that look. Please, don't blame yourself for this and don't be mad at us. We have to do this."

His arms wrapped around me from behind and I leaned back against him. "I know Rave, I do. I just feel bad that you guys are doing this. I don't want anything to happen to any of you. I love you all and need all of you in my life."

"We will be fine. Don't worry. Just relax tonight with Bobby and Ram and we will be back before you know it." He leaned down and kissed my head before he walked out.

Lester walked in the kitchen in full SWAT gear. Damn, he always takes my breath away. He pulled me close to him and I heard him breath me in. "I love you, Steph."

"I love you too. Always and forever."

"Don't worry about us. We will be fine. I'm not sure what time we'll be back, so don't wait up. If you are tired, please go to bed. You are still recovering. I will wake you when we get back if you're asleep." He tipped my chin up and kissed me hard and deep. He broke the kiss when we both needed air. Our foreheads touched while we caught our breath.

"I'll be back before you know it, baby. I love you."

I watched as he walked out the door and to the SUV. The four most important men in my life all crammed into one SUV and drove off to take care of two monsters.

Ram walked up to me and slung his arm over my shoulder pulling me close. "Come on, Steph, let's go inside. They will be back soon."

I nodded and wiped the tears from my cheek. I said a silent prayer for the safe return of all four of them, but especially my husband.

_Please leave me a note and let me know what you think... like it, don't like it, anything ;)_


	18. Revenge Santos Style

**My New Life  
>Revenge… Santos Style<br>SapphireJ**

_This chapter will be all in Lester's POV!_

We all got in the SUV and I tore out of the driveway of our house. I was on a mission and would not be satisfied until it was done; until my wife was safe from harm. I looked at the others in my vehicle; I'd gotten to know them pretty well in the past year and I know they'd do anything for Steph.

One thing still bothered me and I had to know before we got much further. "Guys, one thing that I don't understand. How did Slick get Steph's phone number? She told me that you all had it under Diana Prince in your phones. How was she found out?"

I saw Panther's eyes cut to Raven and Raven's face go pale. Well, at least I knew who gave it to him.

"Raven, how did he get the number?"

"I think it was sort of my fault. I didn't mean to give it to him, honestly. I just had a hard time remembering that her number was under that fake name. I changed her name in my phone back to One Shot. I'm so sorry Les, man." Raven seriously looked heartbroken; I knew he didn't do it on purpose.

"Okay, I know how it was possible for him to get her number, but how did he actually get it? How did he get your phone?"

"I was at Poppa's one day and we had a dance. I lost my phone while I was getting dressed. I didn't think anything of it, figured I'd find it when I was done with the dance. A few hours later, I was changing back into my regular clothes and Slick "found" my phone and handed it to me. I didn't even think about her number being in there. None of us knew about Slick and his involvement. Again, I'm sorry."

I could see how much this was hurting Raven, the fact that Slick got Steph's number from his phone. It wasn't really his fault; no one knew. "It's okay man. You didn't know."

We made the rest of the drive to Newark in silence. Once we reached the outskirts, Eagle gave me directions on where to find them. I parked two blocks away and made sure everyone had weapons on them; not that I really planned on using mine. I wasn't going to make their deaths any easy one. They were going to suffer for the hell they put my wife through.

I handed each of the guys a mic and ear piece. We needed to be able to communicate to know where each was. Once we had them in place and suited up, we silently walked to the house. Raven and I took the back, while Eagle and Panther took the front. I had a feeling that the assholes would run out the back. I looked in the windows as we walked by and saw two figures sitting on the couch. Raven and I made our way to the back door, one on each side. I heard the knock on the front door through the wire.

"What the fuck? Eagle? Panther? Dudes, what are you doing here?"

"We came to talk to you, Erik. You and Slick."

"Come on in, bro. You too, Panther."

I wasn't in the mood to wait for them to get reacquainted. I could see the same look on Raven's face. I picked the lock on the back door and we quietly moved into the living room. I finally got a look at the two monsters and realized that this was going to be fun.

I stood there wondering how long it was going to take before I got to kick some ass when Panther's eyes cut to me. The movement wasn't unnoticed. I'm assuming it was Erik that turned around first. "Raven, wondered how far behind you were. Who is this?"

I growled out, "I'm your worst nightmare asshole."

The one I assumed was Slick stood up and turned around. "What the fuck? How'd you get in here? Who the fuck are you?"

My answer was my fist in his face. "I'm here to kill your sorry ass for the torture you put my wife through."

Erik tried to swing on me, but Raven caught his fist. I heard a growl like I'd never heard before. Raven picked up Erik and threw him across the room. Eagle and Panther started kicking the shit out of Erik while Raven and I took care of Slick.

Neither man could get up, every time they tried, they were thrown back down. Adrenaline can do wonders for someone in fight mode. I heard bones breaking, saw blood everywhere, heard their moans and groans, but I didn't give a damn. Neither of them minded when they were hurting my wife.

I saw Slick start to reach under the couch. I kicked him in his ribs and heard another bone break. Raven grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. Slick let out a loud yell; guess his shoulder is dislocated.

I looked over the room at Erik. He wasn't in much better shape. Eagle and Panther were working him over. I wanted a chance at him as well. While Slick was the one that did the most damage to Stephanie, Erik was the one that started it. He would pay as well.

I walked over to where Erik was and nodded at Panther. Panther went to take out some aggression on Slick. I leaned down to Erik and saw he was covered in blood and barely breathing. He had blood everywhere and bruises all over his body.

He made one more mistake with me. His last words were "She deserved it." He ever saw it coming. I leaned down and twisted his neck hearing the satisfying crunch. I threw his body off me and knew he was gone. I looked over at Raven and he nodded to me letting me know that Slick was dead as well.

I ran down the street and brought the SUV up to the house. There weren't many houses with lights on at this time of night, so I wasn't too worried about being seen. Luckily there was an attached garage, so I pulled in and closed the door.

We loaded the bodies up in the SUV and I made a call that I knew was being waited on.

"RangeMan, this is Tank."

"Santos. Need a clean up crew, man."

"They taken care of?"

"In the SUV, will be heading out in a few. House needs to be cleaned."

"You hurt?"

"Nope, they didn't even get a finger on us."

"Cleaning crew is heading out. Let us know when you're back."

I flipped the phone shut and we all loaded in the SUV. I headed off for the Pine Barrens. I knew the perfect spot to bury the bodies.

We rode in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. We knew what needed to be done and it was done. Now all we had to do was hide the evidence and life could move on. My wife will get the counseling she needs and this will be the end of it. No one will ever hurt her again. I'll make sure of it.

We pulled into the Pine Barrens and I drove around until I found the perfect spot. We got out and each grabbed a shovel. Once we had the hole dug, we pulled the bodies out, threw them in and covered them up.

We hopped back in the SUV and took off for RangeMan. I wanted us to all clean up and change clothes before we got back to the house. Stephanie knew what we were doing, but I didn't want her to see the blood on us.

We pulled in the garage just as Hal, Cal, Vince and Binkie pulled in. I knew they were cleaning crew for this and was surprised to see them back so soon.

"All clear?"

"Not a spot in the house. You had it all contained to the living room and mostly in two spots. Didn't take long at all to clean it up. No trace that anyone was there." Cal nodded at me and handed me a bag. "Clothes for all of you. Go use the gym, shower, change and get your ass home to your wife. She's already called her 3 times looking for info on you guys."

Shit. I told her to go to bed and not wait up. I looked at my watch and saw it was 3:38am.

We all piled in the elevator and went to the gym showers. Once we were cleaned and dressed, we headed to the fifth floor. I wanted to see the others before we took off.

We stepped off the elevator and I was surprised to see so many men there. It was early in the morning and everyone else should have been sleeping or just waking up for shift. I was expecting a skeleton crew.

Ranger came up to me first. "Is she going to be okay now?"

I knew he cared about her. Hell, I knew that if I hadn't already been involved with her when they first met, he would have moved in. Half the guys here would have.

"She will be. I need to get her back in counseling, but she'll be fine. I'm not leaving her again until she is better." I looked around and spotted Hector, Junior and Tank standing off to the side.

"Why is everyone here tonight?"

"We all stayed here incase you needed anything. Or incase Steph needed anything. She's called looking for you a few times. Last time she called was around 0200 hours. She sounded like she just woke up and called."

"I'm leaving the SUV here. Needs to be cleaned in the back. I'm taking another one home. We're all ready for some serious sleep. I'm off line for the rest of the week. I need to take care of my wife."

"Understood." Ranger slapped me on my back and turned for his office.

We left the RangeMan building and headed to my house; to my wife.

When we pulled in, Bobby met us at the door. "I had to give her a sedative. Her shoulder and neck were hurting and she wasn't sleeping that well. She should be out until late morning. If you guys need anything, let me know now. Otherwise, I'm heading to RangeMan for some sleep."

No one spoke up that they needed anything. "Thanks man. Thanks for staying with her. I'll catch you later. Oh, where's Ram?"

"He crashed in one of the spare bedrooms. Said he wasn't leaving her at all tonight."

Bobby left and Raven, Eagle and Panther followed me up the stairs. They wanted to at least look in on Stephanie before they went to bed. They each leaned down, kissed her head, and told her it was over.

Once they left the room, I slipped out of my clothes and crawled in bed with her. I reached around her and pulled her close to me. She instinctively moved back against my chest and sighed.

I kissed her shoulder, hugged her tight, and whispered in her ear. "I'm home baby. You're safe now. I love you."

I was asleep seconds later.

_A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter... thanks for reading and please leave a review! _


	19. The Day After

_Happy Tart Thursday. I hope everyone is having a great end of the summer. My kids are in camp all this week and are enjoying it. School starts back soon and they are just as excited about that! _

_Here is the next installment of My New Life... enjoy and let me know what you think!_

**My New Life  
>The Day After<br>SapphireJ**

"_Okay, now Steph, I want you to sit down in the chair. I need for you to relax and try very hard not to flinch. I want the guys to come around and touch you in some way. OK?"_

_I nodded. I didn't want to do this, but I knew Lester would never put me in harms way. I decided I needed to sit on my hands so I wouldn't be tempted to slap their hands away._

_Lester started with his hands on my shoulders. He left them there for a while and squeezed my shoulders as he leaned down to my ear. "I'm right here, Baby. Nothing is going to happen to you. These guys love you, they just want to help." He kissed me below my ear and moved away._

_I felt Ram's hand touch my shoulder, lightly at first and then he rested his hand there. I fought so hard to keep from running. Finally after what seemed like hours, he moved his hand down my arm to my elbow and finally, he took my hand in his. "I'm not going to hurt you, Stef. You are my partner and I'll do anything and everything to protect you."_

_Ram left and then I felt Bobby come up and place his hand at the back of my neck. After a few minutes, he kissed the top of my head and I froze. He noticed it and squeezed my shoulder, "You're safe with us, One Shot. None of us would harm a hair on your head."_

_Tank and Ranger followed, each doing a different touch and telling me that I was safe and they'd never hurt me, and then it went back to Lester. The guys went around three times, touching me longer, talking to me as they did, and finally when they were done, I noticed I was no longer sitting on my hands, but instead held them in my lap._

"_Steph, how are you feeling?" Lester had such concern in his eyes._

_I took a deep breath. "I'm okay. I felt like running a few times, but I'm still here." I looked around at the guys in the room. "Thank you all for trying to help me. You don't know what this means to me."_

_Ram was sitting on my left side; he reached across and touched my hand. 'Steph, we will do whatever you need us to do. We may not understand exactly what is going on, or why you are so timid, but we are here to help." He squeezed my hand and I realized I wasn't jumping out of my skin. He must have realized it too. Ram smiled at me, squeezed my hand one more time, and let me go._

_That was how things went for the next few weeks. I would meet with the guys for an hour or so every other day and we would work on different things. One day, after we had captured a high-bond FTA that kept getting away, I was so excited that I ran up to Ram and hugged him._

_I saw the look of shock in his eyes and then it was gone and replaced with happiness and love. He hugged me back and I realized that my fear of touching people I knew was gone. When we got back to RangeMan, I pulled Ranger, Tank, Bobby, Lester, and Ram into the conference room. I went around and hugged each of them and thanked them for their help._

I felt someone next to me stir and was brought out of my dream. I turned over and saw the handsome face of my husband.

"Morning, Baby." His lips found mine in a soft kiss.

"Morning, Les." I hugged him and then remembered that he wasn't here when I went to bed. "How did things go? Where are the guys? Anyone hurt?"

"Slow down, beautiful. We're all fine. We got back in around 0430 hours. Everything is taken care of, you're safe. They won't hurt you ever again."

He held me tight as I cried. I knew what was going to happen, but I was still sad to know my brothers and husband had to do it. Lester held me until I was done crying. He never said a word.

"You ready for a shower? I know I could use one." I saw the sparkle in his eye and knew he was ready for more than a shower.

"I'll race you." I went to get out of the bed, but Lester picked me up and carried me to the bathroom. We covered my shoulder wound and hopped in the shower. Once we were done with our showers, we dressed and headed downstairs.

Raven was fixing food in the kitchen and I could hear Ram and Panther in the basement most likely having a rumble. Eagle was reading the paper. When he looked up at me and smiled, I knew everything was okay between us. Life would get back to normal soon.

Raven came over and rumpled my hair as he sat the plate of food down in front of me. "Morning, One Shot, hope you enjoy the food." As I looked down, I saw strawberry pancakes, bacon, cheesy scrambled eggs, toast, coffee, and orange juice. He really knew a way to my heart.

After breakfast, I called Dr. Lynn's office and made an appointment. I don't think I really need help anymore, but after remembering about Slick, I know I need to see her at least once to talk things out.

"Les, I have an appointment with Dr. Lynn in a couple of hours. Would you like to come with me?"

He looked at me and searched my eyes for something. He must have found it and he smiled and kissed my forehead. "I'd love to go with you baby."

After Les finished breakfast we headed off to Dr. Lynn's office. I told her all that I remembered. She asked how I felt about things and if I was having any nightmares or setbacks. I was honest with her and told her that I had remembered everything, but that I also remembered how Lester had helped me get past my fears. I was no longer afraid of anyone that I worked with and it was getting easier every day. We agreed that I would call and make an appointment if I felt it was needed.

Lester and I left her office and went for a drive to the park. We sat there on the bench just watching the kids play and feed the ducks. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

After walking around for a little bit, Lester decided to sit on the grass up against a tree. He pulled me between his legs and wrapped his arms around me. "Steph?"

I leaned my head back to his shoulder and sighed, "Yeah?"

"How do you feel about kids?" Running his hands up and down my arms, I could feel the tension in him. "Do you think about having your own?"

I turned my head to look at him. "I don't know. I never really saw myself as having kids before. I'm not sure, why? Do you want kids?"

Lester looked over to the swings and then the sandbox area. "Part of me does. I guess I was just thinking about what our kids would look like. Would they have your beautiful blue eyes or my green ones? Would they have your curly hair or my straight hair? Things like that."

Looking over at the kids swinging, I felt a little bit of a tug. "Les, when do you want kids?" If he wanted them now, I guess I would stop bounty hunting. If he wanted to wait a little bit, it would still be a lot of fun practicing. I'm just not sure I really want kids right now. I like our life the way it is.

"If I had my way, we'd start trying now. However, I don't want to rush you. We need to be on the same page on this. And if you don't want any kids at all, then we won't have any." He hugged me tight and kissed my head.

I looked out at the baby swings and saw a mom and dad pushing their twins. They all looked so happy and carefree. I knew then what we needed to do.

"Les, let's wait a few more months and then we can try. I want just a few months of just you and me. We're newlyweds and we've not really spent any time with just you and me. You were called away practically the minute we were married, and then when you got back, I was shot. I want just a while of just you and me, and then we can try for a baby. Okay?"

"God, I love you Stephanie. I can't wait to have a baby with you." He turned me around in his lap and kissed me deeply.

"I love you too, Les. Let's go home."

_Please leave a reveiw... good, bad, inbetween? Thank you!_


	20. Party Time

_As usual: If you know them, they aren't mine. No money is being made; just lots of happy fans, I hope ;)_

**My New Life  
>Party Time<br>SapphireJ**

Les and I have been married for 11 months now. The first three were spent away from each other and that sucked.

Once my brothers went back home to Arizona, Ranger gave Lester and I a gift. It was a two week, all expense paid trip to the Aruba for our Honeymoon. We were thrilled. We were finally going to do a honeymoon and we were going to be alone. Just Lester and I.

We had a blast in Aruba. We swam, dined, danced, and just relaxed. It was so nice to not have to worry about cell phones ringing, takedowns, distractions, or anything business related. It was just a husband and wife enjoying each other and having a lot of sex. I do mean a LOT of sex.

Neither one of us wanted to come home, but we knew we had to get back to work. When we came back, it was business as usual. I partnered back up with Ram while Lester partnered back up with Bobby.

I've done a few more distractions and it is getting easier to do them. I have learned to trust all the RangeMen. They have all told me that they would die for me and would do anything to protect me. I love them all and it is great to have such a big family.

I see my dad and grandma at least once a week. My mother is still not talking to me but that is fine. I've cut my losses with her. I've learned that I'll never be what she wants me to be, but I am who _I_ want to be.

Lester's family is wonderful. We've had them to our house a few times and everyone gets along great. They are thrilled that Les is married.

I've still been working for Vinnie helping Lula. She has some hard skips to bring in, so I talked to Ranger. Ram and I help her two days a week if needed. She appreciates the help and calls Ram her "eye candy."

Since Ram and I have been helping Lula, Connie has finally gotten up the courage to actually talk to him. They will spend half an hour every time we are in the office just talking to each other. They actually have a lot in common and have decided to start seeing each other. They really do make a nice couple.

The guys have not been on any more government missions. I know that Lester has one more year left on his contract. Bobby and Tank have six months and Ranger still has eighteen months on his. None of them are going to renew when the time is up. I hope they are able to stay here until their contracts run out, but I know that isn't likely. The rest of the guys are done.

I pulled into the driveway at our house and parked the car. I was so glad to be home and just wanted to relax. I went upstairs to put on my bikini; I wanted to take a swim to relax. As I headed out the back door, I heard a lot of voices.

Walking out to the patio, I noticed Lester, Ranger, Tank, Bobby, Hal, Cal, Binkie, Junior, Vince, Ram, and Hector. "What the hell guys? Who is at the office?"

Lester got out of the pool and was walking towards me with the water running down his chest. There were spots where the water just clung to him begging me to lick it off. Holy moly mother of God, the man was hot, hot, HOT.

I saw Lester start smiling as he kept walking towards me. I also heard a few laughs from the pool area. "I guess that was out loud, huh?"

"Yeah, Baby, it was. But I'm glad you still find me hot." He came up and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tight against him. "I love the bikini, but are you sure it is safe around these guys?" He started nibbling on my ear and then my neck. I felt my legs go weak and I moaned my pleasure.

"Mmmm, send them home then. I'm in the mood for a swim." I moved my head to give him better access to my neck.

"I can't send them home, baby. They just got here." I felt his hand crawl up between us and land on my breast. His fingers snaked into my bikini top and he rolled my nipple between his finger and thumb.

I gasped and then moaned. God he knew exactly what to do to me. My hands went around him and I started clawing his back. I felt his groin rub up against me. My leg started to climb up his body to wrap around his waist when I froze.

"Dude, let us get the popcorn before you give us free show." Junior yelled out. All the rest of the guys were laughing, yes laughing and laughing hard.

I looked up at Lester's eyes and saw the frustration in them. "YOU know what your kissing does to me. You always make me forget my surroundings. This is your fault." I kissed him and walked over to the chair. I sat my towel down and dove into the pool.

Lester came up behind me and pulled me to him. "I'm sorry beautiful. I forgot they were here for a minute. Want to go to the hot tub alone?" I could see the pleading in his eyes. Normally I would have said yes, but not with this many people around.

"Later horny man." I kissed him and then turned around to face the rest of the guys. "So, why is everyone here on a weekday and who is manning RangeMan?"

"We decided it was too nice out to be inside all day. I called in a few contract workers and we all came here." Wow, Ranger gave the guys the day off and called in contractors? Right this day down in the books.

Lester laughed at me as he hugged me tight. "Shit, was that out loud as well?" He nodded and Ranger did a half smile.

About twenty minutes later, Lula, Connie, and Kennedy walked in the back yard. Tank, Ram, and Bobby got out of the pool to greet their ladies.

Pretty soon it was time for some food. Ranger and Binkie got out of the pool and fired up the grill. It actually turned out to be a very relaxing and enjoyable day. After food was gone, everyone left and I finally had Lester to myself.

I stood up and walked to the hot tub smiling at Lester. He grabbed a few beers, turned on the music and climbed in the hot tub with me. "Finally, I have you alone and in the hot tub. Come here, beautiful."

I slid into Lester's lap with my back to his chest. I felt his hands start massaging my shoulders and oh did it feel wonderful. I think I might have fallen asleep for a few minutes. I felt my head fall forward and heard Lester chuckle behind me.

"Baby, if you are tired, we can go inside." He kissed down the side of my neck and onto my shoulder.

"Mmmm, that feels nice. I want to stay out here for a while longer. I missed having you to myself today."

I felt his arms go around me and pull be farther back against him. I leaned my head back and sighed.

"Steph, what do you want to do for our one year anniversary next month? Do you want to go anywhere?"

I thought about it. We had a wonderful honeymoon in Aruba. We have a wonderful house here. We could go anywhere we wanted, but did we need to?

"You know, I think I'd really just like to stay home and have twenty-four hours of uninterrupted alone time. Just you and I."

"We can do that. I would, however, like to take you to dinner for our anniversary. Maybe even dancing." His hands were roaming the front of my body as his lips were working on my neck.

My hands went up behind me and around his neck, pulling his head closer. I felt one of his hands slip down the front of my body and into my bikini pants. Since my legs were on either side of his, when he opened his legs a little, that opened mine as well.

I sighed when I felt his finger enter me. My fingers curled up in his hair as my body starting moving against his fingers. Oh god, he knows just what I like. He started rubbing my clit with his thumb and I crashed over the edge.

Somehow, his shorts came off and I felt him twitching against me. Lester lifted my legs up just slightly and slipped into me. The feeling of him in me while I was facing way from him was amazing. It felt like it was in slow motion, but neither of us was in a hurry. Finally when I couldn't take it anymore, I reached down and grabbed his balls in my hand. I squeezed them gently and that was all it took. Lester let himself go inside of me and that pushed me over again.

We sat in the hot tub for a little longer and then decided it was time to go in. Once I had on my night shirt and panties and Les had on his sweats, we curled up on the couch to watch a movie.

I looked up in Lester's eyes and smiled. I was in Heaven and I would be there for the rest of my life with him.

_Please don't forget to leave a review... they are very much appreciated! Thank you!_


	21. Will You Tell?

_Once again, here it is... Tart Thursday, so here is the next chapter! As usual, if you know them from the books, they are not mine and no money is being made off of them. I hope you enjoy!_

**My New Life  
>Will You Tell?<br>SapphireJ**

I walked into RangeMan just before my shift was to start. As I stepped off the elevator, I saw Tank and Bobby standing in the hall. "Hey guys. What's going on this morning?"

Bobby slung his arm around my shoulder. "Morning, Steph. Not much going on. It's actually quiet today. No meetings or anything. So, I was just telling Tank that it would be a good day for him to catch up on his paperwork."

I had to laugh at the look in Tank's eye. "Come on big guy, you know you can't put it off forever. I'll even bring you a reward if you get it done before Ram and I get back today."

I hear Tank grumble something about fucking paperwork and managers as he sulked back into his office. I went to the break room and heard Les and Ram talking. I stood in the doorway waiting for them to notice me.

Ram was grilling Lester, "Man, I can't believe you and Steph have been married for a year. What are you going to do to celebrate?"

"Well, we are going to dinner and then dancing. And of course, you know what will happen when we get home." I could just imagine Lester's look. He is so sure that he will get anniversary sex. Maybe I'll just hold out on him. Oh Hell, who am I kidding. I'd have sex with my husband twenty-four hours a day if I could.

"So, Mr. Santos," I interrupted, "You think you are going to get lucky on your Anniversary?" Lester flipped around so fast, I was sure his body turned around before his head did.

I had to burst out laughing at the expression on his face. "Hey, Beautiful. When did you get in?"

"Oh, don't you try to avoid the question." I walked over to him and ran my fingers along his jaw line. I felt his arms go around my waist and pull me closer to him. He leaned down and bit below my ear.

"Baby, every day that you are in my life makes me lucky. And yes, I am so looking forward to making love to you on our anniversary. I have many things planned for that morning, afternoon, and night."

I felt my knees go weak and heard Ram chuckle behind me. I turned around and glared at Ram. "Go get your shit ready. We roll out in five. Lula has 4 skips to bring in today."

Lester sat down and pulled me into his lap. His lips were on my neck and doing wonderful things that should not be happening at work. I started moaning and knew we needed to stop or I'd be locking the door any second now.

Just as I was about to jump up to lock the door, Ranger walked in. "Santos." We both looked at Ranger, wondering which one of us he expected to answer. He just looked at us, shook his head and left.

I stood up and pulled Lester up with me. "I have my own plans for our Anniversary, so make sure you don't monopolize the entire day." I kissed him, winked, and left. I could see the desire, lust, and love in his eyes as well as the look of regret that we couldn't finish.

I grabbed Ram and we headed to the bonds office.

"Hey skinny ass white girl. Are we heading out soon? I got four I need to bring in today." Lula was bouncing up and down and, personally, I was afraid she'd bounce right out of her tank top.

Ram walked over to Connie's desk and kissed her. "Morning Darlin." I saw Connie's eyes glaze over. She is so not use to Ram kissing her in public yet.

"So, Steph. What do you have planned for you anniversary?" Connie was enjoying the shoulder rub Ram was giving her.

"I have a few things planned, but I can't tell you about it."

"Why not? It isn't like we see Lester in here anymore. Seems since you started at RangeMan, we only see you and Ram."

"Well, if I tell you while Ram is here, he will call Lester and tell him right away. Besides, even if I tell you when Ram isn't here, the entire 'burg will know as soon as I leave. I know how you two operate!"

Lula looked like she was pissed. "Well, I never… we never… shit, you right. We do like to gossip. Well, whatever you have planned must be good if you are keeping it to yourself."

"Connie, you have files for RangeMan? We need to get going if we are going to get Lula's skips today."

"Nope, sorry Steph. No high bonds today. You guys get going. I'll see you later."

Ram leaned down and gave her another kiss and I could see her cheeks turn red. "See ya Darlin."

Ram, Lula, and I rode around for 5 hours, but finally had all her skips picked up and delivered to TPD. We dropped her back off at the bonds office with all her body receipts. She was about to be a rich woman.

Ram and I headed back to RangeMan. "So, are you going to tell me what you have planned for Lester?"

"Nope. Not on your life. You would ruin it and I want it to be a surprise." I wondered when this was going to start; I was actually surprised he held out all day.

"Oh come on Steph. Please? I won't tell him, I promise."

"Oh please. You are worse than Connie and Lula. You'd be on the phone to him as soon as I finished."

Ram tried to give me a look of disgust. "I'm hurt One Shot, truly hurt. I thought for as long as we've been partners, you'd trust me."

I slugged him in the arm. "Oh don't give me that shit. I trust you; trust you to be on the phone or actually... Oh shit, you little fucker! You already have Lester on the phone right now don't you? You have him on the phone so that if I tell you, you won't have to tell him and I can't say you lied. You bastard. You are one sick man, Ram. Maybe I need a new partner."

I knew I had him. I saw his blank face falter for a minute and knew I guessed what he had done. I took the phone off his belt clip and saw the readout. "Hello lover boy."

"Fuck. Hi Baby. I love you."

"Oh don't you pull that shit. You put him up to this didn't you?"

"No, this one was all his doing. I told him no, but he wouldn't listen. I really don't want to ruin any surprises you have for me.

"Mmm Hmm. Well, either way, you are not finding out until next week. Trust me… no one is getting this out of me. We're pulling in, are you still in the office?"

"Yep, heading down to the garage now."

I hung up the phone and clipped it back on Ram's belt. He sheepishly smiled at me knowing he'd been busted good. "Sorry, Steph."

"I will have punishment for you, you know that, right?"

He hung his head and nodded. "Yeah, I know. When do I get it?"

"I'll let you know. I have to come up with a good one."

Lester and I drove home for dinner and some movies. When we got to our house, I noticed my dad's car in the drive. When we pulled in the garage, Daddy got out of his car and walked towards us. "Hi Pumpkin. Lester."

"Hi Daddy, what are you doing here?" I gave him a hug and we walked in the house. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No. I'm fine. I just came over to see how you were. I've not heard from you in a few days."

"Sorry, we've been pretty busy at work. Can you stay for dinner?"

"I'd love to stay for dinner. Your mother isn't home, so I have no where I have to be." Daddy sat on the stool; he looked worn down and tired.

"How is mom? She still not accepting my lifestyle?"

"No, she isn't. I'm sorry." I knew this was hurting my dad.

"Daddy, she made her decision. I told her she had to accept my life the way I wanted it or she wouldn't be a part of it. So much has happened to me since I divorced the dick and most of it has been wonderful. It is her loss and her problem that she doesn't get to share that joy. She is missing so much, but I won't change just to please her."

"Steph, I don't want you to change your life. You are happy; I can see that." He took a deep breath and sighed.

"Daddy, what is wrong?"

"Sit down, pumpkin. I need to talk to you." Lester started to leave the kitchen to give my dad and I some alone time. "Les, son, you should stay for this." Daddy took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair; something he never does. "Steph, I'm leaving your mom."

I sucked in a breath. I couldn't have heard what I thought I heard. "What? Why?"

"All we do is fight anymore. We fight over the fact that I support you and she doesn't. We fight over the fact that I was at your wedding and she wasn't. We fight over the fact that I see you as often as I can and she doesn't care. All we do is fight."

"I'm sorry daddy. I'm so sorry that all you do is fight over me. I never wanted that."

"No, pumpkin. You have nothing to be sorry for. We don't fight over you, not like you think. I'm done fighting with her. If she can't accept the fact that I want my daughter in my life, then she can go to hell. I've learned over the years that your mother is a selfish bitch. She wanted both daughters to be clones of her. Well, they aren't. You and Val are individuals. Yes, Val took after the 'Burg life, but you made your own life. I'm so proud of you for that."

"Where are you going to stay Daddy?"

"Well, I have a friend that I can crash with for a few nights, or I'll stay in a hotel until I can find something."

I looked at Lester and hoped his ESP was working today. It must have been because he nodded. "Daddy, we have two spare rooms here. You are more than welcome to take one of them. Stay as long as you need. Please?"

Daddy looked at Lester and Lester nodded again. "Please, sir. We do have extra rooms and I know it would mean a lot to Steph to know you were safe and had a place to stay."

"Ok. But only for a few weeks until I can get a place of my own. I appreciate this. I will head to the house after dinner and pack up my stuff."

"I can bring the truck and help you load it up and bring it here. What time is Mrs. Plum due back?"

"She will be home in a few hours. I know she won't say anything when I get there. She hasn't talked to me in two weeks. I've already boxed up most of my stuff and moved it to the garage, so if you want, you can load up what is in the garage and I finish in the house so you don't have to deal with her."

"Daddy, do you want me to come with you?"

"No, pumpkin. This isn't your battle."

We left the conversation at that. Daddy went upstairs to look at the room and see what he wanted to bring inside with him. Lester and I started on dinner. I wrapped my arms around Lester and laid my head on his back. "Thank you."

"No problem Baby. I know you love your dad and he loves you. It was the only logical decision."

After dinner, Daddy and Lester went to the house to load things up. They were back in just over two hours. We decided to just pull the truck into the garage so they didn't have to unload. I made sure Daddy had clean sheets and towels before we went to bed. "Good night Daddy. If you need anything, just let us know."

"Thank you pumpkin. Have a good night. You to Lester, and thanks for the help today."

"No problem sir. Good night."

Lester and I headed to bed. I curled up into him and hugged him tight. "Please tell me we will never get to that point with each other. Please tell me we will always talk things out and never go to bed angry."

"I promise. That is what keeps a relationship going strong. You and I always talk to each other and I don't see that ever changing."

He kissed the top of my head and squeezed me. "I love you baby."

"I love you too. Good night."

_**TBC**_

_Thanks for the reviews a few of you are leaving. I appreciate them; it lets me know people really are reading and enjoying! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. What will her Anniversary surprise be? Will anyone get it out of her before she is ready to reveal it? See you next week for the next installment on Tart Thursday!_


	22. The Anniversary Surprise

_Welcome to Tart Thursday... I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Just a remindner, if you recognize them from JE's books, they are not mine! _

**My New Life  
>The Anniversary Surprise<br>SapphireJ**

I woke up before Lester and I was glad. I slipped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. I took a quick shower. I went downstairs and started the coffee and grabbed some orange juice for us.

While I was gathering the good, I reflected on the past week and what everyone had done to get my secret out of me. I had to laugh at some of the antics.

_I was sitting in the break room having lunch when Tank walked in, "Hey there, One Shot."_

"_Hey, Big Guy."_

_Tank sat down next to me, looked around, and leaned in real close, "I know your Anniversary is coming up next week. Care to let me know what you are giving Santos so I can get something to go along with it?"_

_I about spit my food out from laughing, "Sorry, Tank, but no go. This is my secret until my Anniversary. Once I've given my gift to Les, then you'll all find out."_

_Tank got up and huffed out of the room._

_Bobby cornered me later that day and tried his hand at it, "Hey Steph, I forget, what did you say you were getting Lester for your Anniversary? I want to make sure I don't get the same thing for you two."_

"_Oh Bobby, I doubt this is something any of you guys would have thought of. Don't worry, whatever you get us will be just fine and will not be a duplicate of what I'm giving Les."_

_I turned around and walked back into the hallway, "Excuse me, can I have your attention please?" Everyone stepped out into the hallway and waited. "I thank you all for trying to help with the gift I'm giving my husband for our Anniversary; however, no matter how hard you all try to get it out of me, no one will find out until after our Anniversary. I plan on keeping this gift a surprise for another week. So, please don't waste your breath."_

_I watched as a bunch of grumpy military men skulked back to their cubicles mumbling something about me being no fun. Oh I can be fun alright, just wait until they are told about the Anniversary Surprise. _

"Morning, pumpkin. Happy Anniversary." Daddy gave me a quick kiss on my head bringing me out of my daydream, and headed for the coffee.

"Thanks Daddy. I'm heading back upstairs to wake my husband up."

Daddy smiled at me, he knew what was going to happen, but he didn't make a big deal out of it. "I'm off to the cab station. I'll be back later. Have a great day and I hope you enjoy dinner and dancing tonight."

"Thanks Daddy. Be safe!"

I made it back upstairs and sat our coffee and orange juice down on the table. I climbed back in bed and straddled Lester. I leaned down and started kissing his face and chest. I trailed kisses down his chest and when I hit his belly button, I knew he was awake.

I felt him shift a little and then his hands in my hair. I kept kissing lower and lower until my lips grazed the tip of his cock. My tongue went out and I circled the tip slowly. I heard him hold his breath as I took him in my mouth. My lips suctioned to him as I slid him in and out.

"Christ, Steph." He couldn't even talk. I loved doing that to him. Shocking him is never easy to do, but waking him like this does tend to do that.

I felt his arms trying to pull me up to him, but I wasn't giving up yet. I let my teeth graze the underside of his cock as my hand cupped his balls. "Baby, you keep that up and I'm not going to last more than a minute." I felt his hands grip the sheet. "Please, Baby."

I licked up and down his cock one last time and the slid up his body. His mouth found mine as he flipped us over. He was on top of me kissing me senseless. He kissed down to my breasts and he took a nipple in his mouth. I felt his tongue swirling around before he bit down.

I screamed out his name in pleasure as he went to the other nipple. He knew exactly how to get me going. I felt him going lower and sucked in a lung full of air as I felt his tongue swirl around my clit. My hips rose up at the sensation of his hot breath on my sensitive skin. His hands moved under my hips and pulled me closer to him as my legs went over his shoulders.

I felt two fingers sliding in and out of me. His fingers made a come here motion inside and that was all it took. I crashed over the edge. Lester kept moving his fingers and his tongue drawing out my orgasm. Finally, he let me come down and he crawled up my body, kissing every inch.

He came up next to me and laid down. I crawled up on top of him again and slowly slid him inside. "Happy Anniversary, Lester."

"God Baby, can we have an Anniversary morning every day? You feel so damn good." His hands were on my hips helping me move up and down. I leaned back and placed my hands on his ankles to give me leverage. Lester's thumb was circling my clit again. I was moving faster and harder up and down his cock.

I could see the look in his eyes and knew he was close. He pinched my clit and I crashed down around him, screaming his name. When I sat up, he pulled me down to his chest and hugged me tight. We stayed like that until our breathing evened out.

I sat up and stared down at my husband. "I love you. Always and Forver."

"And I you. Always and Forever."

I looked in his eyes and knew I'd never have to worry about him leaving me. We were in this forever. He was my soul mate, my partner, my lover, and my best friend.

"Les, are you ready for your Anniversary gift?"

"You mean that wasn't it?" He had a huge grin on his face.

I took his hand in mine and brought it to my lips. "No, that wasn't it." I smiled at him and placed his hand on my abdomen. "Happy Anniversary."

Lester laid there for a minute. I could see the thoughts fly across his face. He was confused at first, then it slowly started dawning on him and he had joy, love, happiness, and surprise.

"Are you? Are we?" Lester had a hard time forming a sentence. "A baby?"

"Yes, I'm pregnant. We are going to have a baby."

I never saw it coming, but suddenly I was on my back and looking up into Lester's eyes. They were wet with tears. His hand was caressing my face. Suddenly his lips crashed down on mine in a kiss that took my breath away.

"I love you Stephanie Michelle Santos. You have given me the best Anniversary gift ever." He laid down next to me and put his hand on my abdomen. "A baby. We are really going to have a baby." I smiled and nodded. "I'm going to be a daddy." He leaned down and kissed my abdomen and then laid his head down.

I ran my hands through his hair as I felt my tummy get wet.

"Thank you, Steph." I heard the emotion in his voice. "Thank you so much for giving us this. I never imagined I'd ever find someone who would love me for me, let alone someone who loved me enough to marry me and have a child with me."

He turned over and looked at me, with tears running down his face. "You are my everything. My life, my air, my sunshine, my breath. I love you more than you know."

He laid down next to me again and kissed me deeply. I had tears running down my face at his admission. We made love a few more times before we finally got up to shower; and yes, I needed a second shower.

We decided not to tell anyone about the baby yet. We were just going to spend our Anniversary alone doing what we wanted to do. We went out to dinner in Newark at a fabulous new restaurant. After dinner, Lester took me dancing. We must have danced for three hours. By the time we got back home, I was exhausted and my feet hurt.

Lester somehow knew and I was given a full body massage complete with an inner body massage. Oh my husband knows how to give wonderful massages and they are all mine to experience.

Finally after two hours of massages and making love three more times, we collapsed into a pile of goo and fell asleep wrapped up in each other. The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was Lester talking to our baby. "I will be the best Dad I know how to be. I love you already little one."

_there you have it... the surprise everyone wanted to know about. How do you think everyone will react to the news? Tune in next week on Tart Thursday for the next chapter! Please, drop me a review! I really appreciate all of that I receive. It's nice to hear what the readers think of the story. Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!_


	23. Holy Crap A DAD!

_Welcome to Tart Thursday! My oldest is starting second grade today and my youngest will start Kindergarten tomorrow. They are both super excited and so are my husband and I. I hope that all of you who have kids returning to school enjoy the first day! Now, what you have all been waiting for... this is Lester's take on the news he received ;)_

**My New Life  
>Holy Crap, a DAD!<br>SapphireJ**

_I still don't own any of the ones you know. _

_**LPOV**_

I woke up before Stephanie this morning. I just lay there staring at her. My wife. My sexy wife. My sexy pregnant wife. My god, I couldn't believe it. She was giving me a child. Part me, part her. How much more perfect could my life get? I never imagined I'd ever get married, let alone become a father.

When she told me she was pregnant yesterday, the day of our first Anniversary, I wanted to jump off the roof and fly.

I was so happy.

So happy that I had tears in my eyes. Happy tears. I couldn't stop them, even if I wanted to.

She would never realize how much this means to me.

I snuck out of bed and threw on my shorts. I wanted to make her breakfast in bed.

How had I not even known that she suspected she was pregnant? How far along is she?

She's not mentioned morning sickness; maybe she is going to pass that.

God, I can't wait to see her grow with my child. I can't wait to feel our baby move and kick.

I want to shout it from the rooftop and sky write it. I'm going to be a dad. Holy shit! What the hell do I know about being a dad? I need books, lots and lots of books. There have to be book and strategy guides about raising babies, right?

Who do we tell first? How do we tell them? Does Steph even want anyone to know yet? So many questions that I don't have answers for; I don't like not having answers!

I turned on some music in the kitchen while I got breakfast ready.

I knew Steph would be sleeping for a while. I kept her up late last night or should I say early this morning.

I love making love to my wife. I would make love to her twenty-four hours a day if I could.

I made Chocolate Chip Pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs, sausage, and toast. I poured a carafe of orange juice and grabbed the coffee. I took one of the roses from the bunch I bought her yesterday, put it in a small vase, and sat it on the tray.

I was getting ready to take the tray up to her when Frank stepped in the kitchen.

"Smells good, son."

"Thanks," I replied. Pointing to the oven, I told him, "There is an extra plate of food for you in the oven. I'm taking this up to Steph." We've taken to making extra food for Frank and sticking in the oven for him. He comes and goes as he pleases and I know Steph loves having him here. I wonder if he knows about the baby? I thought about telling him, but figure my wife would want that pleasure.

"Thanks, Son. I'll be out today looking at apartments. I know you two don't need me in the way and I don't want to overstay my welcome." Frank opened the oven and took his plate out while I poured him a cup of coffee.

"Frank, sir. You are welcome to stay here as long as you want. Steph likes having you're here and I like knowing that there is someone here if I have to work late." I wonder if I can get Ranger to keep me off night shifts now.

"I know. However, I also know how independent my daughter is. I am looking for something near here, so I'll still be around." He nodded to the tray of food. "You best get that up to her before it gets cold. Thanks for the plate of food."

I nodded to him and walked upstairs.

I opened the bedroom door and saw she was still sleeping. My baby loves her sleep. I love seeing her curls spread out all around her.

I sit the tray down and slip off my shorts. I crawl back into bed with her and she immediately scoots back into me. She may be asleep, but she knows I'm there.

As much as I don't want to wake her up, I don't want her food to get cold.

I start kissing her shoulder, then her neck, back to her shoulder and down her arm.

"Mmmm, no more. I'm too sore," she mumbled.

I kissed her shoulder as I chuckled. I do believe this is the first time she has ever told me no.

"Asshole," she replied as she grabbed the covers and tried to pull them up over her head.

"Hey. I love you. I even made you breakfast. And I have coffee." I knew that would get her to begin waking up.

She turned over and faced me. "Okay, so you're a domesticated asshole."

"Beautiful, you hurt me." I kissed her lips softly but moaned when her arms went around my neck pulling me down to her.

"Mmmm. You've had strawberries this morning." She ran her tongue across my lips and I was instantly hard.

"Baby, you keep that up, and your food will get cold."

She sat up and I put the tray over her lap. I took the lid off her plate and then mine.

I saw her eyes glaze over when she saw the pancakes. Then she looked at my plate and licked her lips.

"Les, do we have more strawberries?"

I nodded and went down to the kitchen. I grabbed the rest of the strawberries and the whip cream. I had plans for those, but I may just have to stop at the store and get more later.

When I handed them over, Stephanie looked at me and smiled, "You are a breakfast God! I love you."

I fed my wife strawberries covered in whip cream. God the noise she makes when she eats drives me nuts, but I wouldn't change it.

When we were done with the food on our plates, I decided I had enough whip cream left for my evil idea.

I took the whip cream and spread it on her breasts. She slightly screamed at the coolness, but quickly turned the screams into moans when I took her nipple in my mouth.

After I had her cleaned up, she decided to return the favor and covered my cock in whip cream and then took her time cleaning up.

God the things she does to me. Yep, definitely stopping at the store for more of this later.

I've never had another woman be so willing to suck me. Most of the other women I've been with liked to receive oral, but they pretty much refused to give.

What the hell did I do to get so lucky with Stephanie?

When I think back to it, I am so glad that I was the one that walked into the Bonds Office that morning over two years ago. It was suppose to be Bobby and Tank, but Bobby was needed at RangeMan.

Stephanie and I decided it was time to finally get up and get showered. We needed to get on with the day, and she was ready to start telling people about our baby. I still can't believe it; I'm going to be a dad. There is going to be this little innocent life depending on me. Holy fucking shit!

We stepped into the shower and I started washing her hair. "Hey, baby. Your dad is out looking for an apartment near here today. He said he wants to get his own place so he doesn't overstay his welcome, but he wants to be near incase you need something."

"I knew he wouldn't stay long." I could hear the sadness in her voice and I hated hearing that. "I love having him here, but I know he like his independence as well. Of course, once we tell him of the baby, he might change his mind."

"I know and if he does, I'm okay with that." I had already thought about him possibly staying, but I don't know that it would work. With the baby on the way, the house might get a little cramped when others come over. But if Frank wants to stay, we'll find a way to make it happen.

"Really? You wouldn't mind him staying here?" Steph stopped what she was doing and looked at me, "Do you really mean it?"

"No, I wouldn't mind him being here. He'd be available to help when I'm at work or if I have to do nights." Now that we have a baby on the way, I don't want to leave her alone. I know she can take care of herself, but I want to make sure that my wife and child are protected.

I tipped her chin up and kissed her. "I love you. Always and Forever."

"I love you, too, Les. Always and Forever."

We got out of the shower, dressed, and headed out to do our errands of the day. My wife was so happy to be telling people about the baby, she was absolutely glowing.

_**tbc!** Leave a review for me... I really appreciate knowing that you are reading and what you like/don't like about the story! See you next Tart Thursday!_


	24. The Secret Comes Out

**My New Life  
>The Secret Comes Out<br>SapphireJ**

Lester helped me into the passenger side before running around to get in the driver's seat. "Where to first, Beautiful?"

"Well, the only people we can tell before my dad are Mary Lou and RangeMan. If I tell Connie and Lula, it will be all over the burg before we pull out of the parking lot. I don't want to tell Tank and Ram too soon because then they will have to keep it from Connie and Lula. So, I guess it is Mare first."

We pulled up outside Mary Lou's house. I knew the boys were at school and Lenny was at work. We walked up and knocked on the door.

"Hey Steph. Hi Lester. Come on in guys." Mare held the door open and we walked in. "What brings you guys by so early? Oh, Happy Anniversary. I would have called yesterday, but I didn't want to interrupt you," Mary Lou said with a wicked smile.

We walked into the kitchen and sat down. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, Mare. Thanks, we're fine." I was having a hard time sitting still and was ready to blurt out our secret.

"Ok, you want to tell me why you are here? What's wrong?" I noticed she was getting a little worried.

"Mare, nothing is wrong. I just know you were wondering what I was going to give Lester for our anniversary. Well, the time has passed, so we thought we'd come over to tell you."

Mare looked at Lester who had been smiling since we woke up this morning. "Well, it must have been pretty damn good if he is still smiling like that."

"Mare, we're having a baby." I couldn't come up with a way to surprise her, so I just let it out at once.

"Ohmigod! You're pregnant? How wonderful." Mare was jumping up and down, hugging me. "This is good news, right?"

"Yeah, Mare," I laughed, "This is good news."

"How far are you? When did you find out? How are you feeling?"

"Woah. One at a time! I've not been to the doctor yet, but I think I'm about 6 or 7 weeks. I found out last week. I'm feeling fine. No morning sickness or anything yet."

"What made you suspect you were pregnant?" We were finally sitting down again and I could see Lester was really interested in my answers. He hadn't really asked anything yet, so this was news to him as well.

"Well, other than my period being late, I've noticed my nipples are very _very_ sensitive. So, last week, when I was in Newark, I took a test and it was positive. I've been dying to tell Lester, but I had to wait. I knew it would make the best Anniversary gift."

"I am so happy for you guys. I can't believe you are having a baby! Oh, if you have a boy, you can have all the baby stuff I still have. Lenny and I are done. I have a ton of baby clothes that have never been worn. It is all yours if you want it."

"Thanks, Mare. Listen, we haven't told my dad yet, so keep this to yourself. We are going to tell him later today. I'll call you tonight to let you know when you can say something. Okay?"

"Sure thing, sweetie."

I gave Mare a hug and then Lester and I left.

Lester stopped me on the way to the car, "Steph, when are you going to the doctor? I want to go with. I want to be a part of this all the way through."

"Well, I need to find a doctor first and then we can make an appointment. I'm glad you want to be there for all of it." I knew he would, but still hearing it makes my heart soar.

He grabbed my hand and kissed my wrist. "Always and Forever, Baby."

I pulled out my phone to call my dad. Hopefully we could meet up with him soon.

"Hi Pumpkin. I was just about to call you."

"Hi Daddy. Are you busy or can you meet us at Grandma's apartment?"

"Sure. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine Daddy. I just need to talk to you and Grandma."

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

We pulled up to my grandma's parking lot and Lester ran around to open my door for me. Always the gentleman.

"You ready baby?"

"You know, you are going to have to come up with a new name. I'm not going to know if you are talking to me or the baby."

"You are my beautiful and my baby. This one," He placed his hands on my abdomen, "is my little one."

"Okay, that works. In that case, yes, I'm ready."

We walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. My dad answered the door and let us in. "What is going on, Pumpkin?"

"Well, Daddy. Lester and I have some news to share with you." I looked over at Lester and saw that smile still on his face. "We are having a baby."

"Hot Damn, I knew that package wouldn't let us down."

"Grandma!" I just shook my head at her and laughed.

"Congratulations to you both. I only have one request."

"Sir?" Lester looked confused for a minute.

"I have three granddaughters already. What does it take to get a grandson?"

Lester started laughing. "Sir, I'd love a son, but if I am blessed with a daughter, I won't be disappointed."

"When are you due baby granddaughter?"

"Well, I think I'm about 7 weeks, so I think sometime in June. I need to find a doctor and make an appointment and then we will see."

My daddy came over and gave me a big hug. "I know you have fears, but don't worry. You will be a wonderful mother. You are nothing like your own mother. I know you will not hound your child every day of their life to be something they are not. You will give your baby wings and let him or her fly. And when they fall, you will be there to lift them back up."

I had tears in my eyes. My daddy knew what I was thinking and he knew how to turn it around.

"Thank you Daddy. That means a lot to me."

"I need to get going. I have another apartment to look at today. I want to take you two out to dinner tonight, okay?"

"That sounds great, Frank. We will call you later and see about the time."

We all left Grandma's apartment. Les and I headed for RangeMan. Time to tell all the guys.

We pulled into the RangeMan garage and got out. Lester came over to my side and pushed me up against the truck. I loved feeling his body so close to mine.

"I love you, baby. I still can't believe we are having a little one. We need to find you a doctor today so we can get you vitamins and checked out." He kissed me senseless and pulled back just a second before his phone rang. We both knew it was the control room.

We went to the elevator and took it up to the fifth floor. The doors opened and we were greeted with a "Happy Anniversary" from all the men on duty.

"Thank you guys! You are the best." I looked around the hall and noticed most everyone was there. "Can Lester and I have a few minutes with all of you in the conference room?"

Everyone turned and walked into the room. Bobby, Tank, and Ranger were last.

As we waited for everyone to settle down, Ranger spoke first. "Is everything okay?"

"Lester, I'm going to let you tell them."

"Gentlemen, it was brought to my attention yesterday that I have a new mission that I'm about to embark on."

I looked at the men's faces and saw wonder on them. They had no idea what he was talking about and they all thought he meant a government mission. I had to stop from giggling.

Ranger was the first to speak up again. "Explain."

"Well, it seems that my wife is going to bless me with a son or daughter in June."

I had to cover my ears. I thought women could get loud, but man, they have nothing on these guys. I couldn't even hear myself think. I guess they were all excited.

"Congratulations Steph." Ram and Tank took turns giving me a hug. The guys all slapped Lester on the back and gave him a guy hug.

After a few minutes, the guys went back to work and Ranger asked to see Les and I in his office.

"I wanted to say congratulations again. I see how happy you two are, so I assume this is good news."

"Very good news. I've not stopped smiling since Steph told me yesterday."

"Now for the not so fun part." Ranger steepled his fingers under his chin and looked at us, "The both of you are pulled from field work."

"What? Why? I understand Steph being pulled but why me?" demanded Lester, "I'm not the one carrying a baby?"

"You are about to be a father. I don't need you out on a takedown that goes wrong and getting injured or worse, killed. You need to be around for your wife and child. She doesn't need to be worrying about you being on a takedown and making herself go crazy. You are off field work until the baby is six months old."

"You will have a 'normal' schedule until then as well. You can pick either 0800 – 1600 or 0900 – 1700 hours. You can both work the same shift."

"What are we suppose to do if we are not doing field work? I know Steph has the searches and client meetings, but what about me?" I could tell Lester was getting a little pissed.

"You will have monitor duty and Stephanie can teach you searches. I'll have to partner Ram and Bobby until you two are back in the field." Ranger sat back and glared at Les, "This is not up for discussion."

Lester stood up and paced back and forth in Ranger's office. I knew this was bothering him. He likes to be in the action. I just hope he isn't going to resent the baby now.

Lester stopped and kneeled down in front of me. Taking my hands in his, he whispered, "Beautiful, I would _never_ resent our baby." Fuck, that was out loud.

"Yes, this is going to take some adjustment, but I would do anything to keep you and the baby safe and not make you worry. I want to be there for you and our baby. I love you. Always and Forever. Don't' forget that."

Lester looked over at Ranger and nodded. "No field work for the next year or so. What about surveillance?"

"Depends on the situation. I don't want you on a stakeout and then decide that we can't wait to take the skip down. I guess that will be a case by case. We will find something for you so you don't go insane."

"Ok."

I looked at Lester with a shocked expression. "You aren't going to try to fight it?"

"No. It is RangeMan policy for a reason and I will agree to it. Besides, this means that we can have the same schedule and we will be able to ride together."

Ok, that was settled. Now it was time to head over to the Bonds office and tell the girls.


	25. The Secret Comes Out Part 2

_No money being made, just a lot of happy fans ;) Yes, this Tart Thursday is a double chapter day... had to get both parts of the chapter out ;)_

My New Life  
>The Secret Comes Out… Part 2<br>SapphireJ

We pulled up outside the bonds office and I saw Lula and Connie sitting down. Looked like Lula was looking at a magazine while Connie was, once again, doing her nails.

Lester and I walked in and they both looked up. "Hey white girl. Where's my eye candy?"

"I'm sure he'll be in later, Lula. Actually, that is what I wanted to talk to you guys about. I'm not going to be partnering up with Ram for the next year or so."

"Why? What happened, did you piss him off?" Connie stopped filing her nails to wait for the answer.

"No, I didn't piss him off, but I'm not going to be chasing skips for a year. Ranger pulled Les and I off of field duty."

"Oh shit," yelled Lula as she threw her magazine down, "you both piss off Batman?"

I started laughing and said, "No."

"Then why you off field duty? Who is going to help me bring in the hard skips if you ain't there?" Lula was about to go into rhino mode.

"Bobby and Ram will help you, I'm sure. Or, maybe Tank can."

"Something ain't adding up here girl, what gives?" Lula stood and put her hands on her hips.

"Well. I guess RangeMan has a policy that men have to be pulled from field work when they are about to become fathers."

I watched and waited. I saw their expressions change and could tell when it finally hit them. I needed ear plugs badly.

Connie and Lula were screaming and squishing me in a hug. Lester just stood there smiling. Finally, when I couldn't breathe anymore, they let me go.

"Girl, you and Lester having a baby! I can't believe it. When you due?" Lula was sitting down next to me and just couldn't stop smiling.

"Well, I've not had a doctor appointment yet, but according to my calculations, I'm due in June. I need to find a doctor and get in to be seen."

"Steph, you know my cousin is an OBGYN. I could get you her name and number."

"Thanks Connie. I'd like that."

Connie dug through her purse and found her address book. She wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it to me.

"So, Lula. Ram and Bobby are going to be partnering up while Les and I are off field duty. I'll talk to the guys, but I'm sure they'd be able and willing to come help you two times a week like Ram and I have been."

Lester shook his head in agreement. "Actually, I already talked to Bobby about it. He said they would make sure to help you out two times a week if you need it. If you only need them once a week, let them know. If you have something that comes in that you need them right away, call them. They will help you."

Lula looked shocked. "I don't know what to say. I figured the only reason Ram was helping was because of Steph. But to hear that Bobby and Ram will still help even with her gone, that really means a lot. Thank you."

"Lula, do you have Ram's cell number?" I knew she'd need a few number just in case.

"No, Steph, the only numbers I have are for you and Tankie."

I wrote down Bobby and Ram's numbers as well as the control room's number and handed them to her.

"Put these in your phone. If you are in trouble, call Ram or Bobby. If you can't get them, either call me or the control room. I promise, I won't leave you alone."

Lula looked like she had tears in her eyes, but she quickly got up and said she had to get back to filing.

"Well, baby. Shall we go? We still need to tell my family and then we should check out doctors."

"Ok. Bye Connie. Bye Lula. I will stop in next week and maybe we can do lunch."

"Sure thing Steph. Congrats again guys."

OoOoOoOo

Lester called his mom and told her about the baby. She was thrilled that she was getting another grandbaby. I guess this makes number 5. He promised to send pictures and updates via e-mail and that soon he and I would fly out so we could all catch up in person. We've not seen them since the wedding. A few weeks after that, they moved to South Carolina to be near Lester's grandma.

We finally got home around 2100 hours and I was beat. My dad was in the living room watching TV.

"Hi Daddy. Did you get dinner?" We called Daddy earlier and decided that dinner out would wait until tomorrow night.

"Hi pumpkin. I sure did. There are meatball subs in the kitchen if you want them. I wasn't sure what time you two would be home or if you'd be hungry."

"Thanks, Frank. That actually sounds pretty good right now. Baby, you want one?"

"No I'm fine, but thank you." I watched Les take off for the kitchen and then sat down next to Daddy.

Daddy looked at me and smiled. "I looked for a place today, but didn't find anything I liked in my price range. Looks like you are stuck with me for a little longer."

"Daddy, it is a pleasure to have you here, we are not _stuck_ with you. If we didn't want you here, we wouldn't have offered."

"I know that, but now with the baby coming, you are going to need the room."

"Daddy, stop. We have two spare rooms here; the baby isn't going to need them both. You can stay here as long as you want or need to."

After Les was done eating, we headed up to bed. I was exhausted and just wanted to lie down next to my husband and relax.

"Steph?"

"Hmm?"

"What would you think of adding on space above the garage?"

"What for?"

"An apartment."

Lester was rubbing circles on my back and my mind was lost. "Are you looking to move out on me?"

I felt him laugh. "No baby. I was thinking that I like having your dad near. He likes being here. You like having him here. How about we build him an apartment above the garage? He could have his own place. He could come and go as he pleased, have friends over, whatever, but still be close to his daughter and grandchild."

I thought about and it did sound nice. I figured my mother would not be one of his friends that came over, but if she did, I wouldn't have to have her in my place.

Rolling over to face him, I smiled and said, "You amaze me all the time, Les."

"How's that?"

"You agreed to let my dad stay here with us and now you are suggesting that we build him an apartment above our garage. You are the only one that I know of that would do that. I love you."

"I know how much your dad means to you. I know you worry about him being on his own. If this will keep you from worrying so much, then I'm all for it. I know a few of the guys have remodeled their places, so I'm sure we can get some help."

"Ok. Talk to the guys and see what needs to be done and how long it will take. But, I want to make sure it is a real livable place. Bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room. I don't want him to have a studio apartment, I want it to really feel like home for him."

"Okay, Beautiful. I'll set you up with Vince and you two can work on the blueprint layout. You can design how you want it to look and what room is where."

"Sounds good." I kissed Lester and we fell asleep shortly after that.

OoOoOooo

I woke up in bed alone. Lester's side of the bed was cold, so I knew he'd been up for a while. I got up and found him down the hall in the study.

"Hey."

"Hey there beautiful. Good morning." I walked over to give him a hug and he pulled me down into his lap.

"What are you doing up so early and why didn't you wake me?"

"I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake you. Everything I've been reading says you need your rest and you should sleep when you can. The baby is going to be taking up a lot of your energy even before he or she is born."

I laid my head on his shoulder. "I really do love you. I can't believe you have been researching things already." I saw some printouts on the printer.

"What are those?"

"Those are for you to look over. I went to our insurance's website this morning and looked up the OBGYN's in network. I found a total of 3. I had Manny run a search on them and those are the results. Why don't you look them over and let me know what you think."

I stood up and grabbed the papers. I was getting ready to sit down across from Les, but he pulled me back into his lap. "I want to read them over with you and I want to hold you." He kept rubbing circles on my abdomen; I don't think he realized he was doing it.

"Ok, between the three, here is what I think." I picked up one paper and showed it to him. "This guy is out."

Les looked at the printout and shrugged, "Why?"

"Well, it says he has been practicing for 48 years. So, he is set in his way. He probably doesn't use the newest, up-to-date technology. He isn't going to listen to us, but instead try to persuade us to do things his way."

"Okay, I can see where that would be a problem. What about the other two?"

"This one is out as well. He is too new. He has only been practicing for 2 years. I've had a doctor that was new before and I didn't like it. He will probably be willing to use the newest and up-to-date technology, but he isn't going to be sure of himself."

"The doctor that I had that was new, was always asking me if I thought it was okay to this or that. He would suggest that we try this, but never out right say, this needs to be done. It was always left up to me to decide. It was like he didn't trust himself to make a decision. I didn't care for it when it was just me. But, now that we have a baby involved, I want a doctor that is sure."

Lester shook his head and agreed. "Ok, he is out, so that leaves this one. How about him?"

I looked at the file and knew this was who it was.

"He is good. He's been practicing for 16 years, so he isn't new, but also not old enough that he is set in his ways. I think I'd like to talk with him and see what he has to offer us."

"Okay, you go hope in the shower and I'll call and see when we can get in." Lester hugged me tight, kissed my neck and rubbed my abdomen.

I got in the shower and just let the water beat down on me. A few minutes later I was joined by Lester.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?"

"I came to spend time with you." His hands immediately went to my abdomen and he kept rubbing them over and over.

"Les, are you sure you are okay with this?"

"Beautiful, I am more than okay. I love the fact that we created a child together. I can't wait to watch you grow." He kept rubbing my abdomen, I couldn't think of a time when he'd ever touched me non stop.

"Then what is bothering you. You didn't sleep that well last night, I know."

"I'm just afraid that this is a dream. That I'm going to wake up and you won't be pregnant."

I pinched his arm after that.

"Shit, what the fuck was that for?"

I laughed and smiled. "To let you know that you aren't dreaming, you are in fact awake and I am really pregnant."

"Paybacks are a bitch, baby."

"Mmmm, but I _love_ your paybacks." I turned around to grab the shampoo. Lester stepped up behind me, pulled me against him and I could feel his payback.

When the water got cold, we decided payback was done and it was time to get out. I was wrapped in a towel and Lester had a towel wrapped low on his hips. Mmmm, he has such a sexy body.

"Oh, Baby, I forgot to tell you. We have an appointment with Dr. Bourke in two hours."

"TWO hours? Why didn't you tell me sooner? And how the hell did you get me in today?"

"Well, I guess the doctors that associate with our insurance have been told that if a RangeMan employee calls, they are to get us in that day or the next, no exceptions. So, when I told them we were from RangeMan, he got us in at noon."

"Wow, we are really going to confirm that we are having a baby. I can't wait."

"Come on baby, we need to get ready. I know you are probably hungry, so I will fix some food while you get dressed."

Lester kissed me and then leaned down and kissed my belly. He is so in love with the baby already.

_Don't forget to leave a review... they keep me going!_


	26. How Dare You!

_Here you go... Tart Thursday! Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter! I know a few of you have asked someone in this chapter...don't worry, we will hear from them again ;)_

**My New Life  
>How Dare You<br>SapphireJ**

Vince and I worked on the blueprint after Lester called with the dimensions. Once I told Vince the layout I wanted, he input it all in the program and told it how big each room was to be. He hit print and I heard the printer start spitting out pages.

"Wow, it looks wonderful on paper. I can't wait to see how it will look when it's done." I looked at each of the pages and then handed them to Vince.

"You did an awesome job on the layout of this, Steph. I think your dad will be pleased." Vince and I headed over to my place to give the blueprints to the guys. When we pulled up, I noticed that there were a few extra cars on the street.

Look liked Connie and Lula were here. Who the hell was running the Bond's Office?

I looked around and whispered, "Shit."

Vince looked at the cars and then at me. "What's the matter?"

"Vince, do me a favor. Go give the papers to the guys and tell Les to let my father know my mother is here and to stay in the house."

"You want Les or someone else out here?" Vince didn't hide the anger from his voice.

"No, I'll deal with her. Go in the side entrance so I don't have to open the garage and show her my dad is here."

"Ok. I'll go tell them. Holler if you need anything." Vince got out and walked to the side of the garage. When I got out of my car, my mother got out of hers and walked over towards me.

"What are you doing here?"

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, is that…"

"Santos."

"What?"

"Santos, _mother_. My last name is Santos and has been for a year. I'll ask you again, what are you doing here?"

She walked up the sidewalk towards me and I could tell she'd been drinking.

"That is no way to treat me. I'm looking for your father."

I looked around. "As you can see, he's not here." I stepped closer to her. "You are not welcome here. You need to go back home and stay there. Stay away from my father, away from me, and away from my house."

"You cannot talk to me like that. I'm your mother." She raised her hand as if to slap me and I grabbed her wrist.

"You may biologically be my mother, but you've not been part of my life for over six years. You need to leave before I call the cops."

I saw the front door open and saw my husband and a few other guys walk out.

"Beautiful, is there a problem?" Lester was at my side in a blink.

"No, no problem. This _woman_ was just leaving. Weren't you?"

My mother turned to leave, but then turned back to me. "I can see why Dickie cheated on you; you probably weren't faithful to him. How can you say you are married but yet have all these killers and thugs around? Are you sleeping with all of them? You're disgusting. I can't even believe you are my daughter."

She turned to walk back towards her car. I started after her and Lester tried to stop me.

"These _men_ are my friends and _family_. I'm glad dad is leaving you. You are a good for nothing conniving little…I can't even call you what I want to call you. Get out of my sight and stay away from property. I never _ever_ want to see you again." I was screaming and didn't realize it.

Lester came up and tried rubbing his hands up and down my arms. I was shaking uncontrollably.

_**LPOV**_

I couldn't believe how upset Mrs. Plum left Stephanie. I could feel the anger rolling off her.

I saw her shaking and knew she was about to collapse.

I picked her up and started towards the house.

"Tank, grab the door." Tank opened the door and I took Steph right upstairs to our bedroom. I laid her down and took off her shoes and socks. I curled up around her and held her while she cried.

"Shh, baby. It's going to be okay. She's gone. She won't upset you again."

I heard a knock at the door, but I couldn't move.

"Come in"

Ram walked through the door. "How is she?"

I could tell he was really worried about her. Even though she wasn't his partner right now, he really did care for her. He'd grown to love her like a sister and would protect her with his life.

"She'll be okay. She just was on adrenaline overload. Combine that with the anger she has towards her mother, she was crashing and crashing fast."

He sat down on the bed and squeezed her leg to try and comfort her.

"Ram, I need to make a few phone calls. Would you mind sitting with her so she doesn't wake up alone?"

"Sure thing," nodded Ram. "Take all the time you need."

I got out of bed and Ram took my place next to Steph. I know most people would be jealous of another man sitting in a bed next to their wife, but all of my co-workers love Steph like a sister. I knew I had nothing to worry about.

I walked out of the bedroom and closed the door. I went to the study and made a few phone calls. I wanted to know what I needed to do to get a restraining order against Mrs. Plum. I didn't need her upsetting Steph again. It isn't good for her or the baby.

After the phone calls were made, I decided to check on the guys with the garage.

"Hey guys."

Tank came over to me first. "How is she? She gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I think it was just the combo of anger and adrenaline. She's sleeping right now and Ram is with her." Looking around, I nodded, "I just wanted to see how the garage was going."

"Les, man, with the blueprints One Shot and Vince put together and with all of us working on this, we should have this done by Christmas." Bobby was grinning ear to ear. He knew how happy that would make Steph.

"That would be great guys. I'll help you out when I can, but I need to make sure Steph is okay first."

I went back to the house and checked on Steph. She was still sleeping and so was Ram. He was on his back; Steph's head on his chest with his arm around her. I should be jealous, right? I'm not.

I shut the door and went downstairs to talk to Frank.

OoOoOoOo

When I opened my eyes, I saw I was in my bed, but the man next to me was not my husband. I looked up and saw Ram still sleeping. Shit, why was he in my bed. I did a quick glance and saw that I was still fully dressed. Whew!

Ram must have realized I was awake. "Hey, Steph. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. Little headache, but I'm fine." I looked up at him and took a breath. "Um, Ram…why are you in my bed?

"Les didn't want you left alone and he said he had some calls to make. I must have fallen asleep with you."

We got up out of bed and went downstairs. I looked at the clock and saw that was 6:17pm. Wow, I must have needed the sleep.

Les and my dad were talking. Tank and Bobby were watching a game on the TV.

Lester saw Ram and I coming down the stairs and he came over.

"Hey, baby. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."

He hugged me tight to him. "Let's go to the kitchen and get you and the little one some food."

We went to the kitchen and he sat me down and put a plate of food in front of me.

"Steph, I need to talk to you."

"That doesn't sound good."

He took a deep breath before speaking, "I called and talked to your cousin, Eddie. I want to get a restraining order against your mother."

I looked at my husband and thought about what he said. Part of me was happy that he was so protective and wanted to keep my _mother_ away. Another part of me was pissed that he had done that. This was my fight to deal with. In the end, I realized he was right. I do need a restraining order against her. I need it in order to stay calm and protect our baby.

"Steph, I'm sorry, but I can't let her upset you. Not like she did earlier. I know you are probably pissed at me for stepping in and doing this, but I won't let her jeopardize your health or our baby's health."

"Yes, I'm pissed…"

"Please, don't be." Lester interrupted. He came around and hugged me.

"Les, let me finish. I'm pissed, but not at you. I'm pissed at her for putting you in that situation, for putting me in this situation. I guess I didn't realize how angry I am with her. And then for her to say things about all of you guys."

I looked up at him and smiled. "People can say whatever they want to about me. However, you don't mess with my guys. She had no right to say what she did about all of you and I will let her know that the next time I see her."

"I love you, Steph." He kissed me softly and then pulled back. "All the guys love you. We've never had anyone stand up for us like you. Hell, a lady looks at one of the men, and you are all over her. I don't know if they are ever going to find someone who will pass your inspection."

He was smiling, but I knew it was true. I don't know if there are any women that are good enough for my guys.

_Please leave me a review... you know you want to ;)_


	27. Go Get Him

_Guess what? It's Tart Thursday! Here is the next chapter you have been waiting for! Thank you all for the reviews... they let me know you are still reading and enjoying! _

**My New Life  
>Go Get Him<br>SapphireJ**

November seemed to fly by and before I knew it, it was Thanksgiving. Ranger had invited all of us to RangeMan for dinner. Grandma said she had other plans with her "meat of the week." Daddy said he'd love to join us. So, Lester, my dad and I went over to RangeMan for dinner.

We reached the fifth floor and I saw Ella unloading the cart in the break room.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Ella. Can I help you?"

"Oh, Happy Thanksgiving, Stephanie. I'm so glad you and the family are joining us. No, I'm all set here." She came over and gave me a hug. "How are you and the baby doing?"

"We are doing well. I think it is finally hitting Lester that we are having a baby. When we go to my next appointment, we get to hear the heart beat. He is getting excited and wants to take a recorder to record the heart beat."

"That is so sweet. Well, you go ahead and get your food while I let the guys know it is all set," she said as she walked away.

I was going to wait for the guys to join, but I also know how much they can put away, so I grabbed my plate and started filling it up. Lester and my dad came in and grabbed their plates before the rest of the guys came in.

I sat down at a table with Lester on my left side, my dad across from me, and Ram to my right. Soon our table was full with Bobby and Hal joining us. We all sat there just talking and enjoying the food and company. Soon it was time for the guys to get back to work.

"Les, I just want to stop by my office real fast and check a few things." I got up and left while he was talking with Bobby.

I went to my office and checked my e-mail. I had some e-mails from Boston and Atlanta. Nothing that couldn't wait until tomorrow. I had no phone messages, so that was good.

I headed back towards the break room when I passed Ranger's office and heard him and Lester talking. I stopped and listened even though I knew I shouldn't.

"Ranger, there is no way I can go. Not now, not with Steph being pregnant."

"Les, I don't know who else to send. You know the area better than anyone else here. I need someone who is not from there so that we aren't recognized. I promise it will be fast, just go in, find him, detain him, we come in and grab him, and you are on the next plane home."

"What if I say no?"

"Then you stay here and he most likely gets away. I'm not worried about the money on this one. I just want this guy off the streets. Atlanta would be a lot safer with him behind bars."

"Let me see the file." I saw Ranger slide the file across the desk and Lester opened it.

"Holy fucking shit. How the hell did he get bonded out? Damn it, he needs to be taken down, but I can't leave her, Ranger."

I walked into Ranger's office and I saw him look at me.

"Les, let me see the file." He handed it to me. Matthew Lautner, 21, white, 6'2" 215lbs. Wanted for rape of 3 girls under the age of 15.

I looked at my husband and then at Ranger. "When are you leaving and how long will you be gone?"

I saw the look in Lester's eyes. He wanted to go after this guy, but wanted to also say no.

"Les, you can't let this guy go free. He has done some horrible things to some very young girls. He needs to be taken down. I will be fine. The little one and I will be fine. I have my dad at the house and I'm sure Ram or Bobby will stay there if I need them."

Lester came over and took me in his arms. "I don't want to leave you, baby. But, I…I can't let this guy go. He knows pretty much everyone in the Atlanta office, but he doesn't know me. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," I said as I kissed him. "You will be doing Atlanta a huge favor. When do you leave?"

We both looked over at Ranger. "Can you be ready by 0500 hours tomorrow?"

Lester shook his head yes.

"Bobby will pick you up and take you to the airport. Hopefully you can spot and detain him tomorrow night and be back either late tomorrow or Saturday afternoon. If you don't spot him, then hopefully by Monday you will be back."

"Baby, when is your next OB appointment?"

"Not until next Friday."

Lester sighed and hugged me tight. I could feel the tension in his body.

"Come to my office to talk for a minute?" He nodded and we started to leave. "Ranger, he'll be ready tomorrow morning."

"Thank you Lester… you too, Steph."

Lester and I walked to my office and I closed the door and locked it. He sat in the chair and I sat in his lap.

"Les, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to leave you and the little one. I don't want to miss anything. Yet, I can't bring myself to say no and let this creep go free. Some stupid ass of a bonds man paid his bond and he skipped. Hell, I could have told you he'd skip just by reading his charges."

I straddled my husband's lap and held his face in my hands. "You listen to me. You are not going to miss anything right now. The little one and I are fine. We are going to be fine. You have a job to do and you need to go do this. I know you; you are not going to sleep if you turn this down. I love you and I know you love me, but I also know you love your job."

I kissed his lips and felt the tension start to leave his body.

"You need to do this. Let's go home and get you packed up for a few days. If you can come home tomorrow night, great. If not, I'll see you by Monday and we can call each other during the day. Okay?"

"God, I love you, baby. You amaze me all the time. Most women wouldn't want their husband to go chasing after the bad guys, especially when there is a pregnancy involved."

"I'm not most women. I respect your job. Hell, I have the same job. Just please, do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Remember you are _not_ in the field. You are _only_ going to find him and keep him company until the Atlanta guys can get him in cuffs. You are _not_ to help in the take down."

"I know. I promise you I will try to stay out of the take down."

"Okay, now let's go."

Lester and I went home and got him packed up. We then went to bed early and just laid there talking with him rubbing my abdomen.

When the alarm went off, I got up to get some coffee and breakfast going for Les. I was just pouring him a cup of coffee when his arms wrapped around me from behind. I laid my head back against his chest and just stood there while he held me.

"I'm going to miss this tomorrow morning. I love holding you first thing."

"Mmm, I love it too. But, you will be back soon."

There was a knock at the door and I knew it was Bobby. "I'll get it. You go get your bag."

I opened the door to not only Bobby, but Ram as well.

"Hey guys, come on in. Can I get you some coffee or orange juice?"

"Hey One Shot. No thanks. I just came to get Les. Is he ready?" Bobby stepped inside and next to the door.

Ram came in and hugged me. "I'll take some coffee, but I'll get it. I know where things are."

Lester came down with his bag. He handed it to Bobby who took it out to the SUV.

"I love you Baby." He kissed me and kneeled down. "I love you, too, little one. You be good for your mommy while I'm gone. Don't give her a hard time, okay?" He kissed my abdomen. He stood back up and hugged and kissed me with all he had.

He leaned his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. "God, I don't want to go."

Ram came in the living room and put his cup of coffee on the mantle. "Come on One Shot, Les needs to go so he doesn't miss his flight."

Lester pulled away from me and Ram put his arm around my shoulders.

"Take care of her while I'm gone," Lester told Ram. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

We watched Lester walk out the door and get in the SUV with Bobby.

I had tears rolling down my face. Ram saw and just held me tighter.

"He'll be back soon, Steph. I promise."

I couldn't talk, so I just nodded.

Damn pregnancy hormones!

_There you go... what did you think? What's going to happen... anything or nothing?_


	28. Beep Beep

_What day is it? Yep, Tart Thursday. Here you go! Short and sweet this week..._

**My New Life  
>Beep… Beep…<br>SapphireJ**

I went back to bed for a few hours after Lester left.

When I woke up, it was 8:15am. I sat up in bed and found that I needed to run for the bathroom. I guess the morning sickness was hitting now. Wonderful. I washed up and went downstairs to find Daddy and Ram.

"Hey Pumpkin, how are you?" Daddy was the best; he always took care of me.

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, "I'm okay."

Ram brought me a glass of orange juice. I took a sip and sat down on the couch next to Daddy.

"Any news about Les yet?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "Not yet, Steph. His plane should have landed by now, so hopefully he is in the hotel getting some rest for tonight."

I was about to say something, but my stomach had other ideas. I ran for the bathroom and threw up again.

Ram came in and handed me a wet washcloth. "You okay?"

I nodded, stood up, and rinsed my mouth out. "Sorry, guess the baby doesn't like OJ now."

I went and curled up on the couch. I wanted to call Lester, but I didn't want to interrupt him if he was resting.

I woke up about thirty minutes later and ran to the bathroom. I had nothing left to throw up, but evidently my stomach thought I did. After throwing up three more times, Ram had had enough.

"Steph, where is the number to your OBGYN?"

"On the fridge. Why?"

"I'm worried about you. You are throwing up even though you haven't had anything in a little bit. I want to know if this is normal or not."

Ram went to call my Dr. while I headed back to the bathroom.

When I returned to the living room, Ram had my shoes and socks in his hands. "Here, sit down so I can help you put these on and then we need to take you to the hospital."

I sat down and looked at Ram. "What is wrong?"

"Dr. Bourke said it is not normal to be throwing up this much, he said you could get dehydrated and end up going into early labor. We need to stop that from happening. So, you are going to the hospital, getting a fetal monitor hooked up and an IV of fluids. You will most likely be staying the night."

Ram looked at me and I knew what was coming. "Are you going to call him or do I need to?"

"No, please don't call Lester. He needs to do this job. IF things are bad, then I'll call him, but if I'm only dehydrated and nothing happens, then I'll tell him when he gets back." I could tell Ram was fighting with himself over listening to me or calling his friend.

"Ram, please? He needs to concentrate on taking this monster down. If he needs to be called, then I'll call him. If he gets upset that he wasn't notified, then I'll take the blame for that."

I could tell Ram didn't want to agree with me, but I hoped he would.

"Let's just get you to the hospital first. I already called Bobby and he is going to meet us there."

Ram helped me into the truck and brought a small waste basket with us.

Once we got to the hospital, we were taken right up to the OB floor. I was told to change, and then hooked up with the fetal monitor and an IV. I threw up twice more shortly after that and the nurse wasn't happy.

"Mrs. Santos, how long have you been throwing up?"

"Since around 8:30 this morning. About every 30 – 45 minutes. At first I thought it was morning sickness and then that the baby didn't like what I was eating or drinking, so I stopped. But I'm still getting sick."

"You are severely dehydrated. We need to get fluids back into you. From the looks of the fetal monitor, you are not in labor, let's keep it that way. Now, I want you to lie back and rest for a little bit. Let the IV do its job."

I laid back and closed my eyes, just listening to my baby's heartbeat. I started to cry because Lester was supposed to be here the first time we heard this.

I opened my eyes to see Ram and Bobby sitting next to me. "Hey One Shot, how are you and the little one?"

"We are okay for now, Bobby. Please tell me you didn't call Lester?"

"I thought about it, but Ram told me your wishes. As long as the two of you are okay, then I won't bother him. But as soon as it looks like he needs to be here, I'm calling."

"Okay. I'm going to close my eyes and rest now." I drifted off to sleep, thankful that I wasn't getting sick anymore yet.

I woke up a few hours later and listened to the beating of my baby's heart. I opened my eyes and saw Ram sleeping in the chair next to the bed. I looked at the clock on the wall 5:43pm. Wow, I slept for a while.

Bobby came back in and looked at Ram and smiled.

"Guess he was tired too. How are you feeling?" He walked over to the bed and sat down.

"I'm good, I think. I'm not feeling like throwing up anymore. I just wish Lester were here to hear the heartbeat with me for the first time."

I felt the tears start to roll down my face. Bobby leaned over and hugged me.

I yawned as he released me. "Tell you what, you lay back and get some more rest. I'm going to go see about maybe getting you some real food for when you wake up. I'll let Ram sleep a little longer and then I'll wake him up so I can grab some sleep."

I lay back down and closed my eyes. "Thanks, Bobby. I appreciate it."

I was asleep before he walked out the door.

I dreamed that Lester was lying next to me, rubbing my abdomen and talking to the little one.

"_Hey, little one. This is your Daddy, so you need to listen up. Your mother doesn't like hospitals, so you need to take it easy on her, okay? She wasn't expecting to spend any time in the hospital until it was time for you to make your appearance." _

"_I know she isn't complaining right now because she'd do anything thing for you. Now, I need you to let her eat and drink so you both can go home."_

I could feel Lester's hand on my body and I could hear his voice, just as if he were here. Wait…I opened my eyes and looked at my husband. Shit, what is he doing here?

"Hey Beautiful, you're awake." He leaned over and kissed me.

"Umm, hi. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I called your phone to check on you and it went to voice mail. I called Ram and then Bobby and got the same thing, so I got worried. I called RangeMan and Cal told me you were at the hospital. I got the next flight and here I am."

I could see the worry in his eyes and felt bad. "I'm sorry."

"Why? Why didn't you call me and let me know?"

I took a deep breath hoping he'd understand when I was done. "Les, you had a job to do. A job that _needed_ to be done. I told Ram and Bobby that if it was anything more serious than dehydration, I'd call you. But, I didn't want to take you away from the job just for dehydration."

"Steph, _nothing_ is more important to me than you and the little one. Please, don't ever forget that and don't _ever_ do this to me again. Okay?"

I started to cry, damn pregnancy hormones. "I'm sorry. I just know that that guy needed to be taken off the street. I didn't want to pull you away from the job when you were the only one that could detain him without him knowing."

"Shhhh, baby, it's okay."

"No, it's not. He's still out there and could hurt another little girl."

"Steph, listen to me. I was calling you to let you know I was on my way home. Seems he was a guy who liked to be at the bar from the time it opened until it closed. We picked him up shortly after the bar opened. He's back in jail."

"Oh." I realized it was very dark outside. "What time is it?"

"It is around 0200. Can I get you anything?"

"No, I just want to feel your arms around me again." He wrapped me up in him and held me close. "Les, don't be mad at Ram and Bobby. I told them not to call."

"I already talked to them. Everything is good. Now, go back to sleep." He hugged me tight and kissed my shoulder. I fell asleep seconds later.


	29. Hearatbeat and Surprises

_Guess what? It's Thursday! Here you go. I hope you are all still enjoying! As usual, if you know them from the books, they are not mine!_

**My New Life  
>Heartbeat and Surprises<br>SapphireJ**

I was released from the hospital the next morning with instructions to see my doctor the following week.

The guys wanted me to take a few days off from work, but I was ready to get back. Twenty-four hours in the hospital was enough down time for me.

The guys at work all made sure that I was comfortable and made sure that I had plenty of water. I swear I was floating around the office for an entire week.

OoOoOoOo

"Hey Beautiful, are you ready?"

Jumping, I spun around and smacked Les in the chest. "Geez, Les. Make some noise, will ya? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Lester came up and wrapped his arms around me. "No Baby. I just know it is time for us to leave for the doctor appointment. We get to hear the heartbeat again today."

Lester was bouncing up and down waiting for me to get ready. He was really looking forward to the appointment.

I grabbed my purse and Lester all but threw me over his shoulder in a hurry to get to the basement. Once we were in the truck, Lester took off like a bat out of hell.

"Les, we have plenty of time to get there."

"I know, but I can't wait to hear the heartbeat again." He had a huge grin on his face and I don't think anything could have taken it away

I smiled at him. He was truly happy to become a daddy. "Les, even if we get there early, we are still going to have to wait until our time."

"Okay, you are right. I'm sorry, I'm just so excited." He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm. He then settled our joined hands on his thigh for the remainder of the drive.

OoOoOoOo

Everything checked out okay at the doctor's office. We heard the heartbeat again, and this time Lester took out his recorder so the guys at the office could hear it. I think he just wanted to be able to hear the heartbeat anytime he wanted to.

After my appointment, we went home. I wanted to see how the garage apartment was coming along. I was hoping it would be done in time for Christmas. I've still not told my dad about it, and he is still looking for a new place to live.

We pulled up to our house and I noticed three of the RangeMan vehicles.

"Les, why are the guys here in the middle of the day? Shouldn't they be working?"

"I don't know, Baby. Let's find out." Les hopped out of the truck and came to my side to help me out.

We walked up to the apartment and I was floored. The guys were moving in furniture. I couldn't believe it.

"Hey, guys. What is going on?"

"Steph, the apartment is finished. We had Ella purchase some furniture for it and we are setting it up. Your dad can move things around how he wants them, but we didn't want to present him an empty place. So, the furniture is a gift to him from all the RangeMan employees." Bobby came over and held out his hand. "Here are the keys, Steph. You can give him his apartment anytime."

"You guys are the best! My dad is going to be so surprised. I really want to thank you guys for doing this and making it happen so fast." I had tears in my eyes. I really wasn't expecting it to be done by Christmas.

"Guys, I would really like for you to all be here when I give my dad the keys. You all helped make this happen, so it only seems fair."

I saw the guys all looking at each other and smiling. "I'm not going to wait until Christmas to give him the keys. I wouldn't ask any of you to give up your time with your family on Christmas. If you guys are all set here, I'd like to give him the keys as soon as he gets home."

OoOoOoOo

We were all sitting in the living room when I heard my dad's car pull in the drive. I was bursting with excitement and couldn't sit still.

I heard his key in the lock on the front door and I ran to open it for him.

"Hey, Pumpkin."

"Hi, Daddy. How was your day?"

Dad looked around and saw the RangeMan guys sitting around. "Steph, is your mother causing problems?"

I looked at him confused. "No, why?"

"Well, the last time there were this many men in the living room, it was because of her."

I smiled at him. "Daddy, can you walk with us for a minute? I have something in the garage to show you."

Daddy followed me out to the garage, with all the guys behind him. I walked him over to a set of stairs with a door at the top.

"Daddy, I know you have been looking for your own place to live. But, I like having you near and I know you want to be near, especially with the baby coming."

I saw him nod his head.

"The guys helped me out a lot and I'd…we'd…like to present you with this. Please, take these keys, go up the stairs and look around."

I saw the confusion in his eyes, but he took the keys and went upstairs. After he opened the door and stepped in, the rest of us followed up the stairs.

When Daddy walked in the door at the t op of the stairs, he entered the foyer. There was a small bench on the left to sit down and take off or put on shoes. There was a coat rack hanging on the left wall as well along with a "Welcome" sign above it.

The foyer led into a living room where there was a burgundy couch and love seat. There was a glass coffee table with magazines in the middle. On the wall, Daddy noticed pictures of me and Valerie at different ages. There were also pictures of Valerie's girls. The living room wasn't big, but it was big enough for Daddy and a few friends to be able to enjoy themselves.

Off to the left of the living room was a small hallway. On the left side of the hall was the bathroom. It was small, but held a shower, toilet, and sink. Daddy was very happy he didn't need to share a bathroom with anyone.

On the right side of the all was Daddy's bedroom. When he walked in, he found pictures of his girls and granddaughters again. He had a cherry wood queen size bed with new burgundy sheets and comforter. His dresser matched his bed and nightstand. He had a decent size closet on the opposite side of the room.

Walking back through the living room, he found the kitchen. It held the stove, fridge, dishwasher, sink, and a new table and chairs. He had a coffee pot, toaster, and microwave. He was all set to move in and enjoy his new place.

Daddy walked from room to room and never said a thing.

"Daddy?"

"Steph. Lester. Are you two sure about this?"

"Frank, you have helped us out a lot and I like knowing that you are here on the nights I have to work late. We both talked about this and we both agree that this is the best solution for you and us. You want your own space, but to be near. Here you have it."

"I don't know what to say guys. I never expected this. This means a lot to me." Daddy looked around at the guys. "You all did this? When and how?"

Bobby spoke up first. "Yes sir. Steph and Les asked us last month if we could do this. We each worked on this during our off time when you weren't home. We all have a little background on different parts of remodeling. Steph came up with the layout and we did the rest."

"Thank you all, very much. This is amazing."

I hugged my dad and kissed his cheek. "Welcome to your new home."

"Thank you, Pumpkin."


	30. Christmas Surprises

Here you go... Tart Thursday. As usual, if you recognize them from the books, they aren't mine... no money being made! Enjoy!

**My New Life  
>Christmas Surprises<br>SapphireJ**

I woke up and realized it was Christmas morning. I looked for Lester, but he wasn't in bed. I got up and took care of business before heading downstairs.

When I reached the living room, I saw my husband had been busy. There was a ton of gifts under the tree that weren't there last night. The fireplace was glowing, Christmas music was playing, and Lester had on red silk boxers and was lying on the floor in front of the fireplace.

I stalked towards him, watching his grin get bigger the closer I got. My God, he is hot and he is all mine.

I laid down next to him and trace his muscles with my finger. I felt his breath catch when I ran my nail across his nipple. He reached down and grabbed my hand bringing it to his lips. He kissed my palm and gently laid me back. He crawled on top of me and started kissing me senseless.

My legs instantly went around his waist as my hands grabbed his head pulling him to me. I don't know how he did it, but my clothes were off and I felt him sliding into me. His mouth swallowed my moans. I couldn't believe how wonderful he still felt every time we made love. I would never get tired of making love with my husband.

Once we had both calmed down from our morning fun, Lester picked me up and sat me on the couch. He went to get us some coffee and toast.

As we ate our toast, we talked about the past year and all that we've been through. About an hour later, there was a knock at the door between the kitchen and garage.

"Come on in Daddy."

Daddy walked in and smiled at us. "Merry Christmas you two."

"Merry Christmas Daddy."

"Merry Christmas Frank." Lester stood up and shook my dad's hand. "Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks, son. I just finished mine."

"You like your apartment, Daddy?"

"I love it pumpkin. Thank you both again. I never expected anything like that."

We spent the morning opening gifts from each other. We agreed not to spend a lot of money as none of us really needed anything. Daddy gave Les and I a coupon book he made up. It was filled with "free night of babysitting" coupons.

"Daddy, I take it you want to babysit as much as possible."

"Pumpkin, I plan on taking the baby at least once a month so that you and Lester can have a date night to keep you two as happy as you are now. Things will change between you two once the baby gets here. You need to find a way to remember what you two mean to each other. So, at least once a month, you two are going out to do whatever you want."

"Thank you, sir. That book will definitely be used." Lester looked at me and smiled. I knew what he was thinking.

Soon it was time to load up and head over to RangeMan. Lester and I agreed to do monitor duty today so that the guys with families could spend time with them.

As soon as we got on the floor, we could hear the Christmas music playing. The guys all had Christmas cookies and eggnog at their desks.

"Merry Christmas guys." Lester and I shouted to all of them.

As if they practiced it, we heard the response. "Merry Christmas Santos'"

I walked around and gave each of them a hug and kiss on the cheek before sitting next to Lester at the monitor's.

The guys all took off for the family dinners they had planned. The building sure was quiet with only Lester and I on the floor. We knew Ranger had flown to Miami to spend time with Julie and that Luis and Ella were visiting with friends.

"So, how do you want to pass this wonderfully quiet time?" Lester looked at me with a wicked expression and he smiled _that_ smile.

"Oh no. Not here, mister. We are supposed to be watching the monitors to make sure the accounts are all okay."

"I know, baby. But, I want you really bad right now." He leaned over and started kissing just below my ear.

Small moans escaped my throat and he pressed on. "You know, I could scramble the camera in this room, you could sit on my lap and I could watch the monitors." He traced down my neck with his tongue

"Oh god, don't stop." He was turning me on almost to the point of no return.

Lester hit a button on the control panel and scrambled the control room's camera. He pulled me into his lap and undid my cargo pants.

He slipped his hand inside and started stroking me. My body moved involuntarily and was riding his hand. "God baby, you are so fucking wet." He slipped two fingers in me and started moving them in and out. "That's it, baby. Let it go and enjoy yourself."

"Les…oh god…mmmmmm."

He started rubbing my clit with his thumb and that was all it took. He moved his fingers just right and I was screaming as my insides squeezed his fingers. He didn't stop, but slowed his movements to let me come down.

He pulled his hand from my pants and licked his fingers clean. "Mmmm, now that is better than Christmas cookies and eggnog."

I leaned against his chest and tried to control my breathing. Just as I was about to slide down and return the favor, Lester stiffened up.

"Shit, we aren't alone anymore, beautiful."

I hopped off his lap and fixed my cargo pants. As I sat down in my chair, I heard the elevator doors open. I rolled back, looked down the hall, and saw Ram walking towards us.

"Fuck. He's gonna know what happened, Les."

"No he won't. He just got here."

"Trust me, he will know."

Ram walked up to us and started laughing. "Shit, you two can't even do a shift without having sex. Damn. I'm _not_ sitting in either of those chairs again."

"Fuck you, man. At least I'm getting some."

"Lester Santos. Don't you start acting like that or that will be the last you get."

"Sure baby. But if that is the last I get, that will also be the last _you_ get and I know your hormones."

"Shit." I could feel my face turn red. I had turned into a nympho with the pregnancy hormones.

"What do you need, Ram? I thought you were off to Connie's for dinner." Lester slung his arm around the back of my chair and pulled me closer.

Ram sat down on the corner of the desk and looked down.

"Ram, did you and Connie have a fight?" I really hoped not.

"No, she is actually in my apartment." Ram blushed like I've never seen before.

"Dude, if she is in your apartment, what the fuck are you doing up here? Other than interrupting what I was about to get." Yep, leave it to my husband to be obvious.

"Well, I thought I'd let you guys know that I just received a phone call and you are about to have visitors in about 4 minutes."

"Who?" I couldn't think of who would be here to see us; my dad saw us this morning, grandma is away with friends, RangeMen are all gone, Lula is with Tank, Connie is downstairs…who am I missing?

"Can't tell you, made a promise. Just be ready for the buzzer to go off in a few. Merry Christmas…I'm off to go entertain Connie."

Just as Ram got off the elevator, we heard the buzzer come through.

Lester looked at me and shrugged. "Guess I'll go see who it is. You sit tight and watch the monitors." He leaned over, gave me a kiss, and rubbed my belly. "Love you both."

_Wow... I'm a little surprised... the last chapter had 174 hits but only 5 reviews. Makes me a little sad :( _


	31. Celebration

_Not mine, just having fun with them. Enjoy!_

**My New Life  
>Celebration<br>SapphireJ**

I turned to watch the client's monitors. I knew it wasn't likely that things would happen tonight, but I wanted to make sure. I was so caught up in watching the client monitors that I didn't hear the elevator ding.

"Merry Christmas, One Shot."

I jumped out of my seat; I knew that voice. I ran to the hall and jumped in his arms. "Raven. What are you doing here?"

He hugged me tight and kissed my cheek. "I missed you. I didn't want to be away from you on Christmas." He sat me on my feet and smiled.

"Come on, you can come sit with us while we watch the monitors." Lester grabbed my hand and led us into the control room.

I noticed there was someone else with Raven. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I'm Stephanie Santos."

She shook my hand and smiled. "I know all about you. I'm Andrea, but call me Andi."

Lester and I took our seats in front of the monitors while Raven took the chair behind us. I noticed that he pulled Andi onto his lap.

"Baby, you talk with Rave and I'll watch the monitor and listen." Lester leaned over, kissed me, and rubbed my belly.

"Shit," laughed Raven, "I forgot you were pregnant. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I have a lot of people taking care of me. I've been pulled off of field work until after the baby is born. So has Lester…so that leaves us monitor duty and research." Lester groaned when I said the monitor and research; he really missed being in the field.

I looked at Raven and Andi. "So, tell me."

Raven looked at Andi and smiled. "Well, looks like Andi and I are going to be moving."

"Really?" I was shocked. I never thought Raven would move away from the reservation.

"Yes. Steph, Andi and I are expecting," said Rave as he grabbed Andi's hand.

I jumped up and gave them both a hug. "I'm so happy for you. Raven, you so deserve this. Now, why have I never heard of Andi before?"

The look in their eyes told me I was in for a story. I turned my chair to face them and sat down. Lester scooted his chair backwards so he could grab my hand but still watch the monitors.

I saw Raven hug Andi tight and kiss her head.

"One Shot, Andi and I have been seeing each other secretly. Now that people have found out that she is pregnant and it is mine, we have been exiled from the reservation."

I looked at Raven and I knew. "Who's?"

He thought about his answer for a minute. "You don't know him. He moved onto the reservation about a month after you left."

Looking between Andi and Raven, I decided I had to ask Raven, "And who for you?"

Raven looked at me for a moment. "Spirit." I knew who she was. She was the first female on the reservation that accepted me. "We tried, honestly, Steph. Spirit and I gave it a decent shot, but it just wasn't for us."

Lester turned around and looked at me with confusion written across his gorgeous face. "What am I missing here?"

Raven looked at Andi and then Lester. "Our reservation is one of the only ones that still does "arranged marriages". Everyone expected me to marry Spirit. Andi was to marry Bear, only she has no feelings for him. Andi and I became involved secretly two years ago. We've been very careful not to let anyone know. However, now everyone knows and we've been banished."

"Damn. I didn't even know those things still existed." Lester looked at me and squeezed my hand. "I'm glad you weren't arranged to marry someone else."

"Had I stayed on the reservation much longer, I would have been. That was one of the reasons I decided it was time to come home." Even though I wasn't from their people, I had been on the reservation long enough and had adopted many of their traditions. I had already been approached about taking part of this tradition… it was then I decided it was time to go home.

I looked over to Raven and noticed that Andi had fallen asleep in his arms. "Do you want to take her to one of the apartments and put her to bed?"

Looking down at her, Raven nodded, "Could I?"

I took the card for the empty apartment and led them downstairs. Raven put Andi in the bed and stepped into the living room with me.

"I'd love to stay and talk to you some more, Rave, but I need to get back upstairs. I'm supposed to be working tonight. Please, get some rest and then come see Les and I tomorrow at the house. You guys can stay with us for now, okay?"

"Thanks, Steph. I really appreciate it. I love you."

I gave him a quick hug and kiss and turned to leave. "Hey, do Eagle and P know?"

He nodded yes and I saw hurt in his eyes.

"Hey, I love you, too, Rave. Don't forget that."

OoOoOoOo

Raven and Andi moved in with Lester and I until they could find their own place. Andi and I have gotten to become really good friends. I made her an appointment with my doctor so we could be seen on the same days. Raven and Lester make sure that we are taken care of. They both take turns cooking and doing the laundry.

Andi and I had our doctor appointments today. Andi is a month behind me, so it looks like our kids will grow up together.

"So, Stephanie, Lester. Are you two ready to see your baby?"

"Yes, yes, yes. I'm soooooo ready." Lester was worse than a kid on Christmas morning.

"Les, calm down. The baby isn't going anywhere, I promise."

"I know, Beautiful. I'm just so excited to see the little one."

Lester reached out and grabbed my hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed my palm. He was so excited to see our baby.

Dr. Bourke squirted the gel on my abdomen and started moving the wand around. Instantly I could see our baby on the screen.

"Here is the baby's spine. It looks good. Foot, the other foot. Ah, looks like a thumb sucker already. And there is the baby's nose, eyes, ears." Dr. Bourke looked at us. "Do you want to know the sex?"

We hadn't discussed it, so I looked at Lester. He nodded and squeezed my hand. I knew he wouldn't be able to wait.

"Yes" we both said at the same time.

"Well, let's see what we can find out." Dr. Bourke looked and shook his head. "Sorry, the baby isn't cooperating." He pushed the wand on my stomach trying to see if he could make the baby move, but it didn't work.

"Look, the little one yawned." Lester was smiling from ear to ear.

Dr. Bourke printed out a bunch of pictures for us including a great profile of the baby sucking its thumb. I think that one will be framed and put on my desk; if I can keep it from Lester.

We were on our way back to the waiting room when we passed Raven and Andi. I hugged them both and told them they would be fine.

Lester and I sat in the waiting room while Andi had her check up.

"Beautiful, when do you want to talk about names?"

"I don't know. We can start anytime. I wish we knew what the little one was, but for now we should work on both sets of names." I felt a flutter and moved my hand to my belly. "Well, I guess the little one would like a name."

Lester looked at me and then my hand.

"The baby is moving, but not strong enough to feel on the outside yet. God, I can't wait until you can feel this."

"Stephanie?"

I sat up and looked at the reception desk. "Yes?"

"Good, you are still here. We forgot to schedule your appointment for next month."

"Oh yeah." I walked over to the desk and waited.

"OK, looks like Dr. Bourke still has you set for once a month. He is on vacation for the first two weeks of February, so how does February 16th sound?"

"Sounds good to me. Can we keep it around the same time?"

"Sure, 9:30am on February 16th. We will see you then," the receptionist said as she handed me the card.

"Thank you."

Andi and Raven came out a few minutes later with pictures of their babies. Yes, babies. They are having twins! TWINS! Can you believe it? We will soon have three babies to play with.

We agreed to go out and celebrate, so off to Pino's it was.

_Please leave a review... let me know what you think!_


	32. The Confrontation

_**My New Life  
>The Confrontation<br>SapphireJ**_

_As usual, I don't own the ones you know! I want to give a special thank you to Margaret Fowler and JenniferK for actually leaving reviews on the last chapter. Maybe this story is still worth it._

I had the day off, so Andi and I decided to go shopping. We hit all the baby stores in the mall and loaded up the SUV. When the SUV was packed, we decided it was time to head back to the house.

Pulling in, I noticed a car sitting at the curb. Not a car I recognized, so I didn't think it was for our house and didn't pay it any more attention. Andi and I started to unload the back and take the bags in the house when I noticed someone walking up my drive.

"Shit. So not what I need right now." Looking at Andi, I asked her, "Andi, can you take these inside? I need to deal with this."

"Sure thing, Steph," she said as she looked around. "Need me to call anyone?"

"No that is fine. I'll be in soon."

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, where is your father?"

"Mother, it is Santos. How many times do I have to tell you that? What do you need?"

She looked at me and for the first time realized I was pregnant. "Stephanie, when were you going to tell me you were pregnant?"

"Ummm, never sounded good to me. What are you here for?" I had my left hand on my hip and my right arm across the top of my belly.

"THIS!" She shoved an envelope in my face.

I looked at the envelope and saw it was from an attorney's office. I opened it up and saw divorce papers. "I don't know what to tell you. I'm not the one that filed these." If I had filed anything, it would have been dissolution of maternity rights.

"I know that, Stephanie. What I don't know is where your father is and why he is doing this to me. I'm going to be so humiliated when this gets out." Ah, there it was… more worried what the 'Burg thinks than why she's being divorced.

"I don't know what you want me to say. I know Dad was tired of all the fighting you two do. That is why he moved out."

"YOU are the reason we were fighting. YOU are a huge embarrassment to us. When are you going to stop that damn job and get a real job? All you do is hang out with those big scary men and now you've got some of them living in your house. And now it seems like you are pregnant by one. "

I lost it; maybe it was the hormones, maybe it was years of pent up frustration, I'm not sure. I stepped up to her and yelled, "I'm pregnant by my HUSBAND. I will NOT tell you where my father is. You are not welcome here. You need to leave before I call the cops."

"You would do no such thing. I am your mother and you cannot call the cops on me. You would embarrass me."

I saw Lester's truck drive up the street and slow down. He stopped it at the end of the driveway, jumped out and came running up to me. "Beautiful, you okay?"

I hugged him tight and shook my head yes. "My _mother_ is here looking for my father. Seems he has filed divorce papers. Seems I am the reason they fight, because I embarrass her." I was laughing and couldn't stop.

"Stephanie, if you know where your father is, you need to tell me now."

Spinning out of Les' grasp, I shoved my finger in her chest and calmly told her, "NO. I don't need to do anything. YOU, on the other hand, need to leave. You are not welcome here. If you show up again, I will call the cops. I don't care how embarrassed you will be. Leave. Now."

I turned around and went to the house. My mother stayed on the sidewalk watching me. Lester never moved, but he glared at my mother. Finally she turned and walked to her car.

Lester went and pulled his truck up the driveway and noticed the back of my SUV.

"Um, Baby?"

"Yes?"

"What is all the stuff in the back of the SUV?"

I started smiling. "Stuff for our little one and stuff for Rave and Andi's." I had honestly forgotten about the baby stuff, but that was a huge reason for me to smile.

Lester just shook his head as he started helping us unload. When we were just about finished, Raven pulled up.

Raven jumped out of his truck, ran up to Andi, picked her up and was swinging her around. "I found us a house. A house big enough for you, me, the twins and a few more kids if we have them."

Andi was screaming with joy and laughing. "Where? Where is it?"

Raven carried her down the drive and looked down the street. "Two houses down."

Andi was really screaming for joy then and so was I. Our kids would be able to grow up together and play with each other every day. I'd have my brother within walking distance and Andi and I could always spend time together.

The wind picked up and I shivered. Lester noticed and told Andi and I to go in the house; he and Raven would finish up and close up the garage.

I went inside and called Daddy.

"Hi Pumpkin."

"Hi Daddy. I just wanted to let you know that Mom has received the divorce papers. She was here earlier looking for you."

"Sorry about that. I didn't want her to pull you into this and I was hoping she'd not stop by. Are you okay?" I could hear Daddy sigh on the other end.

"I'm fine daddy. I told her I didn't know where you were." I would do anything in my power to protect my father, and if meant keeping my mother away from him, that's what I'd do.

"I'll stop over there tonight and tell her that she needs to sign the papers and to leave you out of it. You don't need the stress."

"I'll be fine, daddy. Will you be home for dinner tonight?"

"I should be, yes. Need me to bring anything?"

"Nope, just yourself."

"Ok, Pumpkin. I'll see you later."

I put the phone down and curled up in bed. I was exhausted and needed to rest before dinner. I knew that Lester and Raven would take care of dinner, so I closed my eyes and drifted off dreaming about our little one.

_Thanks for reading and reviewing (I hope!)_


	33. Hawk Lives

**My New Life  
>Hawk Lives<br>SapphireJ**

_This chapter will be written in Frank's POV…enjoy reading…I enjoyed writing it ;) Sorry it's so short, but I'm sure a few of you (you know who you are) will enjoy this one!_

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><p>I can't believe my soon to be ex wife is bringing my baby girl into our divorce. I should have known she'd go to Steph's to get information. Well, all I can do now is stop her from harassing Steph anymore.<p>

I pulled into the drive and saw her on the porch, waiting. How she knows when someone is coming over is downright scary. I'd swear she was an alien or something.

"Frank Plum, what the hell is this?" she began screaming at me before I even had the car in park. "Why are you trying to embarrass me? I'll never be able to show my face again."

I knew she was more worried about herself than anything else. I got out of the car and stood on the front lawn. "Helen, you know what that is. It is a letter from my attorney requesting a divorce. You sign the papers, send them back and we go to court. We are over. I should have done this years ago."

Realizing she was on the porch where everyone could see and hear us, she quietly demanded, "Get in this house; we don't need to be airing our laundry for the whole neighborhood."

"I'm not going in the house Helen, if you want to discuss this, we do it here." I have nothing to hide.

"Frank, you can't be serious.," she said with a look of horror on her face. "What will the neighbors think?"

I fight hard to keep my temper in check. She's never known me to lose my temper. But when I do, it isn't a good thing. I've been able to keep it in check for thirty some years, but it is about to blow.

"Helen, I don't give a DAMN what the neighbors think. I am here to tell you that you WILL sign the divorce papers and you WILL leave MY daughter alone. She does not need you coming around her and stressing her out. IF I find out you go near her again, I will file an order of protection and have it enforced. Do I make myself clear?"

I could feel the blood pounding in my ears as my blood pressure began to rise. No one gets to me like this except for this hateful bitch. How could I have not noticed this years ago?

And whiney bitch was back once again, "Frank, I can't believe you are taking her side over mine. I am your wife. Why can't you see that she is ruining her life and embarrassing this entire family? Do you really want a daughter like that?"

I stepped up to the porch with my fists clenched at my sides. I had to force my arms to stay down. I have never, in my entire life, wanted to hit a female, but right now, I just want to pound her face in.

I got up in her face and made sure my voice was calm. "MY daughter is not embarrassing this family. YOU are doing that all on your own. I love, care for, and support MY daughter in whatever she wants to do. I always have and I always will. She has done more in her life than you ever did." I backed off just a little for fear of pushing her into next week.

"How can you still want to be around her? She is nothing but a disappointment. She hangs out with thugs and killers. She's married to one of them and now she's having a baby by one of them. Do you know what they do? How could you have allowed her to marry them?"

I think I found out where my daughter gets her protective nature because as soon as she said thugs and killers, I snapped. I couldn't contain my anger any longer. This bitch was going down and I was taking her there.

"Helen, those MEN are NOT thugs and killers. They are wonderful men who have opened their hearts and lives to Stephanie. They love her like a sister and would do anything to protect her. HOWEVER, she doesn't need their protection much. She has changed in the last six years. She can fight her own battles. As for her husband. He is a wonderful man, one that will provide for her and take care of her and their children. He supports her, he believes in her, and he loves her. Which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for you."

I walked off the porch and headed back towards my car. "Sign the damn papers and let me move on with my life, Helen. And leave Stephanie alone." I knew it wouldn't be that east; she'd never make life easy.

Helen stood there and glared at me with her hands on her hips. "Or what?"

I shook my head at her. I can't believe her. "You don't want to know what. Just remember I had a life before I met you; a life you know _nothing_ of. A life you DON'T want to know about. Just do as I said and we will all be fine." I made sure she was looking in my eyes before I said, "If you don't leave my daughter alone, there will be hell to pay. Trust me, if you think you're embarrassed now, just wait until you cross me again. Sign the damn papers!"

I got in my car and pulled out of the driveway. I needed to clear my head before I headed home to Stephanie and her family. She didn't need to see me like this; I've always kept my previous life a secret from her. I never wanted her to see the animal I use to be, but I think it's about to unleash the beast.

Driving around town, I decided I needed to make a phone call. I had a feeling that Helen wasn't going to leave things alone; not with me and not with Stephanie.

I dialed a number I've not used in over thirty years; but I knew it still worked.

He picked up on the first ring, "Speak"

Taking a deep breath, I replied, "It's Hawk."

"Holy shit, Hawk lives!" I could hear the amusement in his voice and had to smile.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, I might be needing some help soon," I told him. Probably sooner than I'd like, but I need to make sure backup is available.

"For you, no problem. Just call and tell us when and where."

"Thanks. Expect a call soon."

After hanging up the phone, I decided I was calm enough to head home. I wanted to stop in and see Stephanie before I headed up to my apartment. I still can't get over them turning the top of their garage into an apartment for me. I don't know what I'd do without my daughter and her friends. No, scratch that, they are not her friends; they're her family… her chosen family.

_Well?_


	34. Another Day in the Office

_Sorry this is short and late... I was busy yesterday and forgot it was Thursday (Margaret what happened to my reminder? LOL). Anyway, if you recognize them, they aren't mine. Enjoy!_

**My New Life  
>Another Day in the Office<br>SapphireJ**

It has been a few weeks since my dad talked with _her_. I can't even call _her_ my mother anymore. She has shown her true colors to me and I won't have someone like that around my child. If she can't respect my husband and friends, then I don't need her. I won't take the chance of her telling my child horrible things about his or her father.

I was standing in the kitchen looking out back. The snow was almost gone, I hope it will be an early spring. I'm ready to be outside again. I hate worrying about slipping on ice and injuring myself or the baby.

I felt arms come around me and saw two hands settle on my growing stomach. Laying my head back against his shoulder, I sighed.

"Morning baby. How are you and the little one?" he asked with a deep sleepy voice.

"Mmmm, better now that I'm in your arms." I felt a kick and thought it might be strong enough for Lester to finally feel. I grabbed his hands and moved them. "Here, keep your hand here and tell me if you feel it."

He held still for a few minutes and then we felt another kick. I could tell by the intake of his breath that he was able to feel the baby kick. He came around in front of me, kneeled down, and put his hands back where they were. "Good morning, little one. I felt you kick your mommy. That was amazing. Just don't kick your mommy so hard it hurts her. I love you little one." He kissed my stomach and then laughed.

"Baby, I love to feel our little one kick, but can you make sure he or she doesn't kick me the mouth again?" He kissed my lips and turned for the coffee.

"I'll try to make sure, but I cannot guarantee it." I went to sit down at the table and wait for him to join me. Lester came in with his bagel and coffee, leaned down and kissed me again before sitting down.

"When is your next check-up?"

"On the 16th. Are you going with me?" I asked him as I took a drink of my juice.

"Of course. I'll just tell Ranger that I need that morning off. I'm sure he won't have a problem with that. Now, what would you like to do for Valentine's Day?"

I thought about it, I already had everything I ever wanted. I have a wonderful husband who treats me with respect. I have a baby on the way. I have my daddy close by. I have at least one of my brothers living near me.

"I guess just a day spent together. Just you and me."

Lester leaned in close and whispered, "Your wish is my command. Do you want to go somewhere or just stay around here?"

Looking at my husband, I felt my hormones kick in and answered, "You know, I think I'd rather just stay locked up in the house and keep you all to myself."

"Hmm, I think that could be arranged. But that is not until next Tuesday, so in the mean time, we need to get ready for work. Are we riding together today?" Lester stood up and grabbed the empty dishes.

"Yeah, I don't have any plans with the girls. Give me ten minutes and I'll be ready." I went upstairs and changed into my uniform. Thankfully Ella had been able to find some pants for me to wear during my pregnancy. And they were actually comfortable!

Once I was dressed for work, I went downstairs and heard my daddy talking to Lester. "I've already made some calls, son. She won't be a bother again."

"Frank, don't do anything that will get you in trouble. You know that would upset Steph more than whatever Helen does."

I heard my daddy sigh, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing and all will be fine."

I decided to make my presence known…I really didn't want to know what they were talking about. I hollered into the kitchen, "I'm ready Les."

Daddy and Lester walked in the living room. Daddy gave me a hug and kissed my forehead. "Have a wonderful day pumpkin."

"Oh daddy, did Les tell you he felt the little one kick today?" I started laughing and said, "He also got kicked in the mouth."

Daddy started laughing . "Kicked in the mouth?"

"Yes." Lester grumbled. "I gave the little one a kiss and he or she kicked at the same time."

My dad laughed harder and shook his head on his way out the door.

Lester and I got in the truck and headed to work. When we reached RangeMan, we went up to the fifth floor and I found Ella bringing in muffins. Chocolate muffins. Chocolate muffins with icing.

Snagging one off the plate, I took a bite and moaned. Swallowing the bite, I turned to her and said, "I love you Ella! Will you adopt me?"

"Stephanie, dear. I would adopt you in a minute." She smiled and walked to the break room.

I went to my office and greeted the men on the way. I saw I had a ton of searches to do and groaned.

"Morning, Steph. How are you today?" I turned around and saw Ram standing there.

"Morning Ram. I'm good. Going a little stir crazy being in the office all day, but I know it is for a great reason," I replied as my hand went to my belly.

Ram smiled and rubbed my belly. "I think you show more every day."

Smiling at Ram, I questioned, "So, how is it partnered up with Bobby?"

"It's okay,: he said as he shrugged his shoulders. "It's not the same as you, but it works."

"Well, we will see what happens once the baby is born. I know, right now, I want to get back in the field. I'll have to see if that changes when the baby is here. I know Les can't wait to get back."

I felt his hands on my shoulders before I heard him. "Can't wait to get back where?" Lowering his mouth to my ear so only I heard he added, "To bed?"

I tilted my head back and looked up at him. "Back to the field."

"Honestly, I am glad to be out of it for now. I will get the spend the first 6 months of our baby's life being there and not having to worry about catching a skip or getting shot and shit like that. Yes, I love being in the field, but right now, my top two priorities are you and the little one."

"Alright you two lovebirds, I need to grab Bobby and head over to the bonds office. It is "Help Lula" day," Ram laughed as he turned away.

"How is she doing, Ram?"

"She's getting better. I think Tank has her working out or something too. She's lost some weight and is looking better."

"Tell her I'll stop in tomorrow. I've not been over there in a few weeks." I missed Lula and working with her. I need to stop in and see her sometime.

"Will do, Steph. You three take it easy. I'll catch you later," Ram said as he saluted Lester, then leaned down and kissed my head on his way out. Lester said he had some stuff to do, so he left my cubicle as well.

I booted up my computer and got busy on the searches. One of these days, I'll figure out who the hell Rodriguez is; maybe teach him how to use a search program or two.


	35. Valentine's Day Part 1

**My New Life  
>Valentine's Day… Pt 1<br>SapphireJ**

_Please, keep in mind, this was one of my first submissions on FF. This is a complete story, just being posted one chapter a week. All errors are mine, and mine alone. Now, off to enjoy!_

I woke up to the feel of Lester's fingers working their magic. My god he sure can get me in a state before I'm even awake. Just as I was about to open my eyes, I felt him slide two fingers inside.

"Oh god, Les." I was lost after that. I felt his lips on mine while his fingers and thumb were doing amazing things. I'll never get tired of this man.

"That is good, baby. Because I'll never get tired of you."

Lester and I had to come up with some interesting ways to have sex. Being five months pregnant had given me a decent size abdomen. I wasn't uncomfortable with the missionary position, but Lester was afraid of squishing the little one if he leaned down to kiss me. So, we had taken up to me on my hands and knees, me standing but bent over something or my favorite; me on top.

This morning, we ended up with me on top of Lester. When I slid down onto his cock, it was amazing. I don't think that feeling will ever go away. It gets better and better every time we make love. I was moving up and down while Lester's thumb was circling my clit.

I reached down with one hand and pinched his nipple. That caused him to buck his hips forward and deeper into me. I was getting close and Lester could tell. "That's it baby, take me all the way with you." He pinched my clit and I screamed his name as my walls clenched around his cock. I could feel him spill inside of me as he screamed.

He held me up so I wouldn't squish the little one and I tried to get my breathing under control. Once we were back to normal, I slid off him and whimpered at the loss. Les chuckled but pulled me next to him and threw the blanket over us.

When I woke up next, Les wasn't in the bed. I got up to use the restroom and noticed the note on his pillow.

_**Baby,**_

_**Please stay in the bedroom this morning. I'm busy doing something special, but will be back before you know it. I love you, Stephanie. Happy Valentine's Day.**_

_**Love always and forever,**_

_**Lester**_

Aww, he was doing something special. I got up and took a shower; after all the love making last night and this morning, I needed one. I had just gotten dried off and had a towel wrapped around me, well as well as it would go, when Lester walked into the bedroom.

_Yum! My god he is perfect_. He had on a pair of black basketball shorts and nothing else. I figured his 'something special' must be in the house if he isn't dressed.

He came over and kissed me while leading me back to the bed. "Happy Valentine's Day, Beautiful."

"Mmmm, Happy Valentine's Day to you too, sexy."

I hadn't noticed that I was being backed up to the bed until I felt it hit the back of my knees. Lester smiled down at me and slowly lowered me to the bed. "Please, stay here for now. I'm about to bring in your surprise."

"Okay." I slid up to the top of the bed and snuck under the covers again and waited.

Lester opened the door and had a food try with him. He sat it across my lap. I looked at it and smiled. "OMG, this is amazing."

There was chocolate chip pancakes in the shape of hearts, scrambled eggs and cheese, bacon ~ extra crispy, milk, orange juice, coffee and a vase with a red rose and a yellow carnation.

"The red rose is for you, baby. The yellow carnation is for the little one. The food is for all of us."

I kissed his lips and felt the baby kick. "Let's eat." Lester took the fork and started feeding me. He'd give me a bite and then take a bite himself. He did this for the whole breakfast. When the food was gone, I was happy. I don't think I'd have been able to eat anymore.

"What would you like to do for the rest of the day, baby?"

Lester was running his hand across my belly. Every time he'd feel the baby kick, he would lean down and kiss my belly where the baby was.

"Well, you said we have dinner plans for tonight, but do we have any other plans for the day that I don't know about?"

"Nope, the day is yours. We don't need to leave until 1600 hours."

I thought about it and decided we would stay at home, curled up in front of the fireplace, watch movies and just relax today. Amazingly, Lester said that was what he hoped we would do. He already had the first movie picked out. What Dreams My Come. After that was The Lake House and then finally An Officer and a Gentleman. These were all favorites of mine.

"Les, thank you for the day. It has been wonderful just relaxing with you and not having anyone else around." I was amazed our phone hadn't rung. "Hey, what did you tell everyone? No one has called and that isn't normal."

Lester looked like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I turned off all the phones. I told the guys that we were both offline for today. Your dad is in his apartment and knew I wanted a day alone with you. Andi and Raven are enjoying the day alone as well."

"Thank you."

"For what, baby?"

"For giving me this. I know once the little one is here, we will hardly ever have an entire day alone again. I really appreciate this."

"Anytime." Lester leaned over and kissed me senseless. "Now, we need to get ready for dinner. I've made reservations, so we need to leave soon."

He helped me up from the floor and we took a shower together. Unfortunately, all we did was shower. I swear pregnancy hormones mixed with my Hungarian hormones is torture!

We arrived at a new restaurant just outside of Trenton; it was called "The Black River Inn". When we walked up to the door, I noticed a black Cayenne pull up next to our truck. I looked and saw Ranger get out and walk to the passenger side. Out stepped a blonde Barbie.

"Les, I didn't know Ranger was dating anyone." Lester looked to the parking lot and shook his head.

"I didn't either."

We walked inside and it was amazing. There were balloons everywhere, pink and red roses on every table, a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket at each table as well as a box of chocolates. "Wow, this is….wow."

"I thought you might like it." Lester slipped his arm around me and kissed my ear.

I heard the door open behind us and wasn't surprised when I heard, "Santos."

We turned around and greeted Ranger.

"Hey boss. What are you doing here?"

"Probably the same thing you are doing, Lester." Ranger looked at his date and almost smiled. "Les, Steph, this is Veronica. Veronica, these are two of my employees, Lester and Stephanie Santos."

I put my hand out to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you, Veronica."

She looked disgusted to be touching someone else's hand. "Likewise."

The hostess came up and looked at Lester and Ranger and must have forgotten what she was supposed to do or didn't know how to talk. She just stared at the two men and drooled. Yes, she literally drooled.

"Hello?" I waited to see if she was brain dead or just stunned. Nothing. "Hello…anyone in there?" Man, this was pissing me off. I'm hungry and she is just staring at my husband and boss. Well, I don't mind her staring at Ranger, but come on, get me seated so I can eat!

Lester started laughing as well as Ranger. "Shit, that was out loud, huh?"

"Yes, Steph it was. It is never boring around you." Ranger was laughing and trying very hard not to.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Welcome to The Black River Inn. Did you have a reservation?" She was looking at Lester like he was her meal ticket.

I pushed to the front of him and looked at her. "Yes, my _husband_ and I do have reservations. Should be under Mr. _and_ Mrs. Santos."

She looked at her book and shook her head. "Just the two of you?"

Lester put his arm around me and pulled me close. "Yes."

"Please, follow me." She looked at Ranger and licked her lips. Oh my gawd! "I'll be right with you, hun."

She led us to our table, placed the menus down and looked at Les. "Your server will be with you in a moment, sweetie."

That was the last straw. "Hello? _Wife_ right here, do you not see me?"

"Baby, calm down." Lester was….what the hell, he was smiling. He's enjoying this? "No, I'm not enjoying watching my wife get so upset. But you should know that I only have eyes for you." He reached over and took my hand.

"I'm sorry, Les. I guess it is just my hormones and the fact that I'm showing now and not feeling as sexy."

"Baby, you are very very sexy right now. I love seeing our baby growing inside of you. I love you."

"I love you too."


	36. It's Time

_I wanted to say Thank You to Margaret Fowler, Elliemae789, and Janetfan150 for reviewing the last chapter. I hope you will enjoy this next one as well! _

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><p><strong>My New Life<br>It's Time  
>SapphireJ<strong>

We looked at the menu and had decided what we wanted. The waiter came and took our order. We ordered an appetizer of Quesadilla's ~ crispy tortilla with Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions and homemade salsa. I had the Red Rooster ~ strawberry glazed charbroiled chicken breast matched with walnut and feta cheese. It came with broccoli and rice. Lester had the Bandito Fettuccine ~ fajita chicken, roasted red and green peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms tossed with egg fettuccine and salsa Alfredo. It was smothered with Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses.

The dinner was exquisite. We left the champagne alone since I couldn't have any. However, I did have a virgin strawberry daiquiri.

We talked all through dinner and I enjoyed every minute of it. We sat there just enjoying each other's company.

"Steph, have you thought of any baby names yet?" Lester asked me as we relaxed after eating.

"I have a few, how about you?" I hoped he had a few names as well; I didn't want to feel that I was taking all the fun away.

He nodded. "You first."

"Well, I like Leslie Michelle for a girl. Kind of named after both of us. For a boy, I like Mateo Christopher. Named after you and my dad; both your middle names."

Lester smiled and squeezed my hand. "I like both of those names. The ones I came up with are Sofia Michelle and Joaquin Michael."

"Wow, I like them both. Maybe we will be having four kids so we can use all the names and then we don't have to pick just one," I teased him.

"Baby," he said looking in my eyes, "we can have as many kids as you want."

"Well, let's just see how well I do having this one first." I wasn't really sure I wanted more than one kid, but if he did, I knew in my heart I'd have more.

We finished our drinks and it was time to go. We passed by Ranger's table on the way out. "Have a good night Bossman. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Night Les. Night Steph. I hope you two had a wonderful night," he replied.

"We did. You have a good one as well."

The drive home was a comfortably silent one. I was stuffed and had thoroughly enjoyed the day and evening. Nothing could ruin the feeling I had right now. I looked over at Lester and smiled. He grabbed my hand, kissed my wrist, and put our hands on his thigh.

We pulled into the garage and I sighed. "What's the matter, baby?" Lester asked me.

"I had a wonderful day today and I just don't want it to end. I know that when we wake up tomorrow, it is going to be back to work."

He got out of the truck and came over to my side. Pulling me out of the truck, he nuzzled my neck and ran his tongue along the shell of my ear before pulling the lobe into his mouth and biting it. "The night's not over yet."

We walked into the kitchen and I saw a tray of chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne. "Did you do this?"

Lester shook his head no. "You didn't do it?"

I looked at the tray and saw a note. _**A treat for my pumpkin and her husband. I hope you two have many more Valentine's Day to come.**_

"They are from Daddy. He is so sweet. I almost feel bad for him, that he doesn't have anyone to share today with." I started to get sad when I thought about my daddy all alone.

Lester pulled me into a hug. "I'm sure he is fine. I bet he isn't feeling bad today. We will thank him in the morning."

Lester grabbed the tray and followed me to the bedroom. I figured we'd been alone enough today, and turned on the phones. Luckily there were no messages!

After we were done with the strawberries, we cuddled up with each other and fell asleep around midnight.

I woke up at 2:37am when I heard Lester talking.

"shit….can't it wait….no one else….fuck….no sir, I'll be ready." He slammed the phone down and swung his feet out of bed.

Lester sat on the edge of the bed with his head hanging down. I scooted closer to him and ran a hand up and down his back. I knew what was going on. I didn't like it, but I knew I would deal with it.

"When?"

He turned around to face me and held my hand. "I need to be ready to board the chopper in an hour." He looked so heartbroken. 'I'm so sorry baby. You have no idea how sorry I am."

"Les, I know. Nevertheless, you have to do this. Any idea how long you'll be gone?"

"No. Hopefully just a few weeks. I'll get more info when I get on the chopper." He pulled me up into his lap and hugged me tight. "God, baby. I don't want to leave you. I don't want to miss any of the pregnancy and here I am missing your next doctor appointment."

Lester was burying his face in my curls and felt tears drop onto my neck. I hugged him with all I had. "I will keep a record for you while you are gone, so that when you get back, you will be able to see all that happened"

He looked at me and I could see his eyes were wet. I wiped away the tears and kissed him. "Well, Mr. Santos, let's get you packed and over to RangeMan."

We got up and packed a bag for Lester and made sure he had all his weapons. Just as I was about to get dressed, the phone rang again. I was hoping it was someone calling to tell Lester there was a change in plans and he wasn't needed afterall.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bomber, I hope I didn't wake you." I knew the voice and it wasn't going to tell me that Les was off the hook.

"No Vince, I was already awake."

"I figured as much. Tell Lester I'm on my way to pick him up. The copper will be on the roof when we get back."

"Are you going too?"

"Yeah, I am," he sighed.

I sighed. "Okay, Vince. I'll tell him."

I hung up and wrapped my arms around Lester. "Vince will be here in a few; he's going with you."

"I know. He and I are meeting the rest of the team when we get there."

Lester hugged me tight and dropped to his knees. "Hey Little One. You take good care of your mommy while I'm gone, okay? Don't give her a hard time. You stay put, don't make her sick anymore and don't keep her up at night. I'm going to miss feeling you move around or feeling you jump when you have the hiccups. I love you and I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed my belly and stood up again.

He took my face in his hands and looked in my eyes. "I love you so very much. I'll find a way to contact you if I can. Just know I'll be fine and try not to stress yourself out too much. You know the stress isn't good for you or the little one."

"I know. I'll try. You just stay safe and hurry home to me…to us."

There was a knock at the door and I knew it was time for him to go. I gave him a hug and a kiss. He grabbed his bag and we headed to the door. I opened it up and gave Vince a hug as well. "Take care of each other and stay safe. I'll see you both when you get back."

They headed to the truck and Vince pulled out of the drive. I watched the taillights until they disappeared. _Please God, let them be safe. Let them return soon. Please, please, for me and the little one, keep him safe._

* * *

><p><em>That's it for Tart Thursday this week... join me next week for the next chapter... ;)<em>


	37. Chapter 37

_Sorry this is late in posting. Thank you all for the reviews and messages! None of these are mine (well, not the ones you know!) Enjoy Tart Thursday _

**My New Life  
>Gone…<br>SapphireJ**

I never went back to sleep; I couldn't, but not for lack of trying. I lay back down in our bed on Lester's side. I curled around his pillow and breathed his scent in. I started crying. I knew he had to go; I knew he was needed and that he would be fine. But damn it, I wanted him here; with me where he belongs.

I felt the little one kick and I had to laugh a little. "Yeah, you want him home too, huh little one?"

I decided that I'd cried enough and that sleep wasn't coming soon, so I got up, showered, and dressed for work. It was early, but I had to go in to keep my mind off things.

I pulled into my parking spot and took the elevator up to my office. I knew there would be searches for me to do; at least from Rodriguez. I was so close to finding out whom the hell he was; missed him by two minutes last week.

I stepped off the elevator and walked to my office. It was very quiet, guess the night shift is still here. I looked at the clock and realized it was only 0530. Yep, that explains why it is quiet.

I'd been running searches non-stop; highlighting the important information I found and placing reports in piles of importance. I hadn't realized what time it was until I heard Junior and Binkie.

"Steph? Are you listening?"

I looked up and saw Junior waving his hand in front of me. "I'm sorry, Junior. What were you saying?"

"I was asking where Santos was. I noticed he wasn't in his cube."

"Oh, um, he left this morning."

"Where did he go?" Junior and Binkie sat down in my chairs.

"I don't know." My hand dropped to my belly; baby was kicking up a storm.

"Well, when is he going to be back?"

I looked at him like he had two heads. "I don't know."

"Man, are you two fighting? He left, didn't tell you where or when he'd be back. I wanted to talk to him this morning, not wait until later. I'll just go pull up his GPS."

Ranger walked in my office at that time and looked at Junior. "Problem Junior?"

"Uh no boss, just wanted to talk to Santos for a few."

"Well, that is going to have to wait a while. He's gone."

"Yeah, that's what Steph said. Any idea when he'll be back?"

Just then Bobby and Ram entered my office. What the fuck? Is this everyone congregate in Stephanie's office day?

Ram came around and squeezed my shoulder. "I just heard, Steph. If you need anything, let me know. Okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks Ram."

Junior looked at Ranger and then at me. "What the hell is going on?"

Ranger answered for me…I was afraid if I said it, I'd start crying again. I hate feeling weak, but these hormones are doing a number on me.

"Lester and Vince left on a mission at 0345."

Junior and Binkie let out a collective "Fuck."

They looked at me and I could see the sorrow in their eyes. "It's okay guys. You didn't know."

Binkie decided it was a good time to talk. I just didn't want to hear what he said. "Wow, must be big if they sent Lester _AND_ Vince in."

"What do you mean?" I felt the little one kicking harder and using my bladder as a trampoline.

"Well, you know that Vince and Lester are great snipers. They both are the best there is…when alone. But, you pair them up together and there is no stopping them. The government only puts them together when there's a huge demand for it."

"I can't remember the last time they were sent out on the same mission, so this has got to be big."

I saw Ram smack Binkie upside the head. "Shit man, are you trying to scare her more?"

"Fuck. I'm sorry Steph. I didn't mean it." Binkie's eyes were filled with guilt. "I just meant that if they sent them both in, that…well…there is nothing to worry about. They are the best of the best and together they will be awesome. He will be home soon."

I took a deep breath and tried to stop the tears from falling. Ranger, Ram and Bobby noticed and ushered Binkie and Junior out of my office. Ranger shut my door and turned back around.

"Don't worry, Steph. Vince and Les have done missions together before. They work well together and they'll be home before you know it." Ranger sat down on the edge of my desk and handed me a kleenex.

"Thanks."

Ram turned my chair around to face him. "Steph, what can we do to help you?"

"I have a doctor appointment tomorrow. Les was so excited; we were thinking about finding out the sex."

"I'll go with you if you want, Steph."

I nodded my head. "Thanks Ram."

Ranger spoke up at that point. "Steph, would it be okay if Bobby went with you, too? I've been meaning to talk to you and Lester about that. I'd feel more comfortable if he were able to go with you and talk to your doctor about what to do if something happens while at work."

"Okay. That would be good. Just in case I go into labor here or something else happens before it is time."

"What time is your appointment tomorrow Steph?"

"9am, Bobby."

"Ok, Ram and I will pick you up at 0815."

Just then my phone rang.

"RangeMan ,this is Stephanie."

"Hey Baby."

"Les! Oh my god, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Beautiful. I just wanted to call you and tell you I love you before I get on the plane."

"I love you, too Sexy."

"Are you okay? You sound like you've been crying."

"Just a little, but I'm fine. Just missing you. Ram, Bobby, and Ranger are in here talking with me."

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm going in deep. I don't think I'll be able to contact you while I'm gone. Vince and I have check-ins set for every other Friday at 0600 starting next Friday. I'll try to find a way to make sure you get the news that we checked in."

"That would be wonderful, but if not, I'll manage." I won't totally, but I can't tell him that.

"Baby, I don't know how long this is going to take. I hope to be back before the little one is born, but I can't promise it."

"I know. Just remember that we both love you and we'll be here when you get home." I had tears streaming down my face, but I didn't care right now.

"Steph, I love you with all my heart. I'm so glad you came into my life; you've given me so much to live for. I _will_ make it home soon." I heard him take a deep calming breath. "I love you, Stephanie Michelle Santos. Forever and Always."

I couldn't talk more than a whisper, so I hope he heard me. "I love you with all my heart and soul, Lester. Come home to me soon. Stay safe."

"Stay sane, baby. I gotta go. I love you."

I heard him hang up…I wanted to tell him I loved him one more time. I wanted to tell him that face to face; body to body. That would just have to wait.

I hung up the phone forgetting that there were others in my office. Ram squeezed my shoulders and made me jump.

"Sorry, I forgot you guys were here. That was Lester." Like they could have figured that out on their own.

"Want to share or not?"

"Yeah. He said that he's going in deep. He and Vince have check-ins set for every two weeks starting next Friday at 0600. He doesn't know when they'll be back. I just wish he'd be able to contact me from time to time."

"I'll let you know when I hear about his check-ins, Steph."

"What do you mean, Ranger?"

"When my employees are called in on a mission, I get notified of their check-ins. If I'm on a mission myself, then that call goes to Tank. If their check-ins are set for 0600, then I should hear something by 0700 at the latest. I won't be able to tell you anything other than they've heard from him."

I actually felt a little better about that. At least I'd know he was still alive and trying to get home. "Thank you, Ranger. I'd appreciate that."

"Alright, Steph. Ram and I need to head out. It's a Lula day and I know she has at least three skips." I stood up and hugged Bobby and Ram.

"Thanks you guys. I'll catch you later."

"Call us if you need anything."

Bobby and Ram walked out to start their day. My day felt like it was half over, but it wasn't even lunch time. I was exhausted and finally felt like I could sleep, but I have a ton of work to do. I guess Ranger saw my exhaustion.

"Steph, why don't you go down to the apartment on four and get some sleep. I imagine you didn't make it back to sleep after he left this morning."

"No, I didn't. I think I will head down, I'm feeling exhausted."

"If you need anything call the control room. There should be clean sheets and blankets on the bed and towels in the bathroom. Ella's been keeping it cleaned in case you needed it during the day. When you get hungry, call Ella and she'll bring you food."

"Thank you, Ranger. I'll come back up in a little and get my work done."

"Don't worry about it. Looks like you got a lot done already today."

"It helps to keep busy."

He nodded and walked out of my office. I grabbed my phone and shut down my computer. Heading for the elevator, I felt my body ready to crash. I made it to Lester's old apartment and barely made it to the bed before I passed out. I hope when I wake, I find it was all a dream.

_tbc_


	38. Tumble, Rumble, Mumble

_What time is it? Yep, that's right: Tart Thursday! I hope everyone enjoys this week. Wanted to give a quick thank you to: Margaret Fowler, MsSmith, Janetfan150, and FairTaxGirl for their reviews of the last chapter. I appreicate it ladies!_

**My New Life  
>Tumble, Rumble, Mumble<br>SapphireJ**

I woke up to a noise and I reached for the gun under my pillow. It took me a minute to remember where I was. I got up out of bed and headed for the kitchen where I saw Ella dropping off lunch.

"Oh dear. I didn't mean to awaken you, Stephanie. I just meant to leave some lunch here for you and I accidentally dropped the lid on the floor." Ella looked upset that she had woke me up.

"That's fine Ella, don't worry about it," I told her as I gave her a hug. "I've had enough sleep and I think the baby is hungry." I smiled at her when I saw she had pineapple upside down cake on the cart.

"How are you holding up?" she asked me with a sad smile.

"I'm okay, I guess. I just can't wait until he's home. I know he was looking forward to our doctor appointment tomorrow. I knew what I was getting into when he and I got involved and then married. I knew there would be times that he would be called away. I guess I just didn't expect while I was pregnant."

Ella gave me a hug and rubbed my belly. "Well, if you ever need a woman to talk to, you come find me."

"Thanks Ella. I appreciate it." I finished my lunch and headed back upstairs. Time to get back to work. I got off the elevator and saw Ram and Bobby leaning against the door frame looking at the monitors.

"What's up guys?" I moved between them and looked at the monitors. "Oh shit. What the hell is he doing here?"

"Don't know Steph. He showed up and told Cal downstairs that he needed to rumble. We let him pound the bags, but he wasn't wearing out, so Tank offered to spar with him. They've been at it for about forty five minutes."

"Wow, where's Andi?" I asked as I kept an eye on the monitors.

Bobby shrugged, "She didn't come with him, so we don't know."

I took my phone out and called her, but there was no answer. I needed to find out what was going on, so I headed to the gym.

Opening the door, I could hear the sound of flesh hitting flesh. I walked up to the ring and waited…and waited….and waited. Finally I had enough and yelled.

"BOYS!"

That got them. Tank and Raven both looked at me and Raven had the decency to look ashamed. He hung his head and I noticed his shoulders slump down.

"Tank," I called, "can you give me a minute with Rave?"

Looking at Raven, Tank nodded, "Sure thing Steph. I'll go take a shower."

Tank headed off to the locker room and Raven stepped out of the ring. I motioned him to the bleachers. "Sit."

I looked over his injuries and he looked fine, just a few bruises here and there.

"Wanna talk about it?" He shook his head. "Okay, I'll make a few guesses and you tell me if I'm close, ok?" He nodded.

"Does this have anything to do with Andi?" Nod yes.

"The baby?" Nod yes

"Are Andi and the baby okay?" Nod yes; good.

"Is Andi having second thoughts about the baby?" Head shake no.

"Is Andi having second thoughts about you two?" No

"Raven, are _you_ okay?" No

"Rave…are you having second thoughts about Andi and the baby?" No

"Look, I can sit here and play a guessing game all damn day, but this would a lot easier if you just said what was wrong."

Raven looked at me and I swear I saw tears in his eyes. His voice was so low, I wasn't sure I had actually heard him talking. "I'm scared, One Shot."

Well push me over with a feather, I was stunned.

"Rave, what are you scared of?" I put my head on his shoulder; God I was tired again.

"I'm scared that I won't be a good enough dad to the baby. I'm scared that I won't be a good enough husband to Andi. I'm scared that she will take the baby and leave me."

"Raven, look at me. You are going to be a _wonderful_ daddy and an _amazing_ husband. I know you; you will put them first and make sure they are safe and happy. Andi loves you, trust me. If she didn't, she would have married whoever the hell she was supposed to marry."

Placing my hand on his face and turning him to look at me, "Have you talked to Andi about your fears?"

"No. I was going to today, but when we got up, she said she needed some alone time and took off for a walk. I left and came here." I could see the hurt in his eyes when he said she left.

"Okay, here is what you need to do. You need to go get cleaned up then go home and find her. You need to sit her down and talk this out. Tell her what you are feeling; don't hold back. Okay?"

"I don't know that I can." Raven hung his head again, "I'm not one to talk about my feelings."

Wrapping my arm around his broad shoulders, I told him, "I know, but if you are going to have a relationship with her, you _need_ to do this. Don't push her away just because you are scared."

Raven nodded his head, stood up, and pulled me with him. He hugged me and kissed my head. "Thanks, Steph. You have always known what I need to hear."

"That's what I'm here for. I love you, Rave."

"Love you too, One Shot. Now, what is this I hear about Les being gone? When were you going to tell us?"

Shit, I knew I'd forgotten something. "He left early this morning. I was going to tell you guys tonight."

"Do you need some company at the house?" Raven pulled me up to him again and squeezed me tight.

"No, Dad is in the garage apartment if I need him. I'll be fine. But thanks for the offer." I needed to change the subject before the tears started again.

"Anytime, you know that."

I nodded and sent him off to the shower. He passed Tank on the way. They shook hands and parted.

"You okay Big Guy?" I asked as I looked him over for cuts, but only found bruises.

"Sure am Steph. It's nice to spar with someone different from time to time. He sure can hold his own."

"Thanks for sparing with him. I appreciate it."

"He's welcome here anytime. I know usually he and you go around, but you can't and like I said, it was nice having someone new."

We headed back up stairs to get to work. I finished up my searches around 5pm and was shutting down my computer when there was a knock at the door.

"Hey Ram. Come on in."

Ram sat down on the edge of my desk. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine. Why the hell is everyone asking me how I'm doing? This isn't the first mission he's gone on since we've been together." Frankly I was getting a little pissed about all the extra attention, I'm pregnant… not fragile!

"I think we are just worried about you this time because you are pregnant and we don't want anything to happen to you or the baby," Ram replied looking a little embarrassed.

I smiled at him and nodded. "Thanks, Ram. But honestly, I'm fine. Yes, I'm sad because he is gone, but I knew what I'd be dealing with before he and I even started dating. Hell, he was shipped off just a few days after I met him. He was called out the night we got married. I'm fine. I know what is going on."

Standing up, I walked over to Ram and hugged him, "Thank you all for your support and concern, but please, don't smother me."

"Okay. I won't ask again unless I see a change in you. Now, I'm heading out to Pino's; care to join me for dinner?"

"You know what? That sounds good."

I grabbed my purse and made sure I had my phone, gun, and cuffs and followed Ram to the garage. I was hungry and Pino's sounded good and company sounded better.

_A/N: I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Christmas. If you are travelling, please be careful! I'll be back next Thursday!_


	39. The Ultrasound

**My New Life**

**The Ultrasound  
>SapphireJ<strong>

_Standard disclaimer...if you know them, they are not mine...not making any money! A little short this week for Tart Thursday, but I hope you'll still enjoy!_

_Thank you to Margaret Fowler, FairTaxGirl, janetfan150, elliemae789, EEG, Rebecca bell, and mssmith for reviewing the last chapter. I appreciate it ladies!_

I woke up around 6:45am and for the life of me, couldn't figure out why. My alarm was set to go off at 7:00, so what woke me up? I lay in my bed trying to get just fifteen more minutes of sleep when it hit me.

I jumped out of bed, well, as fast as I could, and ran for the bathroom. That was what woke me up. My little one was using my bladder as a trampoline.

I decided that since I was already up, I might as well shower and get ready for my doctor appointment. I was very excited to see the little one today. After I finished, I got dressed and headed downstairs. I smelled coffee so I figured my daddy was in the house.

Walking into the kitchen, I heard more than one voice. I reached for my gun and slowly walked in.

"There she is," came a voice I wasn't expecting to hear.

"Jesus Panther. Are you trying to get yourself killed? When the hell did you get here and why didn't you tell me you were coming?" I gave him a big hug and then he rubbed my belly.

"I wanted to surprise you, One Shot." He kissed my forehead and looked closely at me. "You are absolutely glowing. This pregnancy agrees with you."

"Thanks." Raven handed me a cup of coffee. "Um, should you really be drinking that?"

"Yes, P. My doctor said I can have one cup of caffeine a day." I took a sip and moaned. "Thank you Rave, it is just like I like it."

"One Shot, I heard about Les. I'm sorry he had to leave," Panther said as he hugged me again.

"I take it Raven called you." He nodded. "I'm fine. He will be back soon and then I'll have my husband here to help with the little one. It won't be that long."

"Until he gets back, I'd like to move in here with you and help you out."

I looked at Panther. I don't know why, but that shocked me. "You can't be serious. You really want to move off the reservation, across country and in here with me?"

"Yes."

Andi brought over a plate filled with grapes, cherries, sliced pineapple, sliced apples and bananas. "Take your pick. I figure you and I usually crave the same things and today it is fruit. Am I wrong?"

I looked at the fruit and drooled. "No, you are not wrong. That looks wonderful. Tell me we have more!"

"Yes, I sent Raven to the store in the middle of the night last night for this stuff and he bought a ton of it. Dig in," smiled Andi as she grabbed a few grapes.

She didn't have to tell me twice. Between Andi and I, we finished off the whole plate and an extra apple.

After I was done eating, Ram and Bobby walked in. "Morning everyone. Looks like you have a full house, Steph."

I gave Ram and Bobby hugs and then we took off for the doctor appointment. When we got there, the nurses were so busy looking at them that they kept running into each other.

Brianne finally called me back and both Ram and Bobby stood to go with me. "Hi Steph," she smiled. "No Lester this time?"

I shook my head, "No, he got called out for a job. This is Ram, my partner at work and Bobby. He's our company medic and Lester's partner."

Brianne smiled at both of the guys, but kept her eyes on Ram mostly. "Nice to meet you gentlemen. It's nice to see that Steph has so many wonderful friends to help her." As we rounded the corner she looked at me, "Okay, you know the routine. Weight and then urine." I stepped on the scale and was surprised to see that I'd only gained a total of 8 pounds so far.

"Steph, you are doing wonderful. You know where the bathroom is." Brianne took the guys to the room while I hit the bathroom. I went and did my thing and headed back to the room. Bobby was looking at all the equipment while Ram checked out the pictures on the walls. Dr. Bourke came in and was shocked to see Ram and Bobby.

"Good morning, Stephanie." Dr. Bourke looked at me with questioning eyes, "Who are these gentlemen?"

"Dr. Bourke, this is Ram and Bobby. They are co-workers of mine and Lester. Les is gone on a job, so I brought them with me."

"Okay. Well, I looked over your chart and you are doing wonderful. Your weight gain is perfect as is your blood pressure. Are you ready to see the baby?"

"YES," I all but screamed. I was so excited that I'd finally get to see the little one.

"Okay, lean back and let's get started." I laid back on the table, pulled my shirt up, and pushed my waistband of the pants down.

Dr. Bourke squirted the gel on my stomach and within seconds, I saw my little one on the screen. The doctor showed Ram and Bobby the head, eyes, ears, lips, nose, fingers, toes, heart…just about everything you could see. I didn't need an explanation of what we were looking at, I saw it all. My baby.

"Steph, do you want to know the sex?" I thought about it. I really did want to know, but I wanted Les to be here when I found out.

Shaking my head I told him, "No, it just doesn't seem right to find out when Les isn't here. I'll wait."

Bobby spoke up, "Steph, this is probably the only time you will have chance to find out before the baby is here, are you sure you want to wait?"

"Yeah, Bobby. I'm sure." I thought about it and decided something else. "Dr. Bourke. Can you write down what it is on a piece of paper and give it to Bobby. That way if I decide later to find out, I can."

"Of course. Close your eyes for me so I can take a peek," Dr. Bourke said as he began moving the wand around some more.

I closed my eyes and heard a chuckle from the guys. "Ok, you can open your eyes. I've written it down and included a picture for proof."

I wiped the stuff off my abdomen and fixed my clothes. The doctor handed me six pictures of the little one and we were on our way.

"So," I asked when we were out of the office, "do both of you know?"

Bobby and Ram shook their heads. "Only Bobby so far," spoke Ram. "I wanted to wait with you. However, there are a few of the guys at the office that want to know, do you mind if Bobby tells them?"

"Nah, Ram. Just make sure they don't tell me. I don't want to know before Lester."

The guys dropped me off at my place and left. I went inside and looked at the newest pictures. I put them on my desk and decided I'd start the scrapbook for Lester right after a nap. I went upstairs, took off my clothes, and pulled on one of Les' shirts. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.


	40. Hawks and Talons Galore

**My New Life  
>Hawks and Talons Galore<br>SapphireJ**

Two months.

Two months to the day.

Two months, 6 hours and 48 minutes… give or take a few seconds.

That is how long it has been since Lester and Vince left.

Oh, I know they are okay. Ranger tells me when they check in; so far, they've made the four check-ins. I just wish that they were home instead.

However, they're not here, so I go on.

I woke up to the sounds loud voices in the living room. I walked down the stairs and saw not only Raven, Andi, Panther and my dad, but also Eagle. When they spotted me, all talking ended and Eagle had me in his arms before I saw him move.

"Aaniin, One Shot."

"Aaniin, Eagle. When did you get here?"

He put me back on the ground and his hands went to my baby belly. He was rubbing it and speaking in his native language. I stood there and let him talk to the little one for a minute. He finally looked up at me and smiled. "Sorry, I got in a few hours ago. I wanted to surprise you."

I couldn't believe that my brothers were all here together once again. We all sat around talking; Andi and I sharing our pregnancy stories with the guys, Rave telling Eagle and P about his job, Eagle telling us that he has decided to leave the reservation and P telling us that he was thinking of going active again for the SEALs.

"P, what are you thinking? Are you serious about going active again?" I couldn't believe he wanted to go and do that.

"One Shot, I've been looking into things. I can't be still for too long and I need to do some stuff. I've been thinking of doing their BUD/S training." Panther stared at me and I could see in his eyes, he wanted my approval.

"P, you are more than capable of doing anything you want. What is involved with the BUD/S?" I'd never heard of it before, but he seems really excited when he mentioned it.

"Well, it is Basic Underwater Demolition for the SEALs. It has a six-month course that will focus on physical conditioning, small boat handling, diving physics, basic diving techniques, land warfare, weapons, demolitions, communications, and reconnaissance."

Eagle looked as surprised as I did. "Dude, have you talked to Poppa?"

"I don't need to. This is my decision and mine alone. This is something I want to do. I think I can even cut the training in at least half."

I stood up and walked over to Panther and wrapped my arms around him. "P, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I'm thrilled you are doing this. I'm not…I'm actually scared for you to do this. I already have a husband that has to leave at a moment's notice, I'd really rather not have a brother doing the same thing. But, I understand your need for this."

"You've never been one to sit still for long. I will support you in this, Panther, you know that. I just want you to be safe."

He hugged me tight to him and the little one chose that moment to kick. He laughed and placed his hand on my belly waiting for another kick.

I heard a phone in the background and saw my dad step into the kitchen. When he came back out a few minutes later, he came over to me and took my hand.

My first thought was something happened to my husband. I could feel my legs giving out and my eyes were pleading with my dad.

"Pumpkin, it isn't Lester." Daddy led me over to the couch and made me sit down. "That was Nick."

Before I could ask about it, Ram and Bobby stopped over to see how I was doing. I had a doctor appointment in a few hours and as usual, they were going with me. They came in, gave me hugs and kisses and sat down on the floor.

I was confused. Daddy never talked to Nick anymore. "Daddy, what did Nick want?"

Ram looked at me and asked, "Who's Nick?"

"Boys, I think it is time to fill you all in on a little about my past." Daddy leaned forward and grabbed his cup of coffee before settling back on the couch. "Before I met Helen, my life was the Army; specifically the Rangers. I spent many a year in the program. I was one of the best around. I got out when Val was born, but I've maintained my contacts."

"During my time, I was known as Hawk, my right hand man was and always will be, Talon."

You could have heard a pin drop in that moment. All the sudden, Ram, Bobby, Eagle, Panther and Raven jumped up, stood at attention and saluted my dad.

"At ease men; there is no need for that here. Here, I'm just Frank."

"Daddy, Nick is Talon? I don't understand."

"Pumpkin, I've told you about my Army time, I just never told you about Nick. We didn't want anyone to know who we were; we needed to protect our families."

Even more confused, I asked, "So, why did Nick call you just now?"

Daddy sat his cup down and took my hands. "I called Nick a few weeks ago about your mother. I knew she'd been harassing you and I wanted to have options."

"Daddy, what did Nick do?" I was starting to panic. I knew my dad wouldn't have my mother killed; at least I didn't think he would.

"Nothing like that. I just told him of the latest with her and he has agreed to help her move to another state so she can't continue to harass you."

Panther and Eagle were looking at me for an explanation.

"Guys, about six weeks ago, my mother found me in the deli and started telling me how I was a failure, how I couldn't hold onto my husband and how I'd be raising my child alone. She was sure that Les had run out on me and found someone else who could keep him satisfied. I tried to tell her that he was thousands of miles away in another country defending her freedom, but she wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise."

"Andi was with me and tried talking to her for me, but she was just so cruel. Kept telling me that I'd never find a man who would want me and a bastard child. That I would be lucky if I ever found someone to even look at me again." I took a deep breath and continued. "She told me that I should give up my child to someone who could really take care of it; that I'd be a horrible mother and that she'd find a way for the state to take my baby."

I was trying to keep the tears away; I hated crying, it made me feel weak and I didn't like that feeling.

"When I got home, Daddy found out what happened."

"I was pissed that Helen had confronted Steph again. She has a restraining order against her; she's not to be anywhere around her. So, when I found out what she had done and said, I called Talon; told him I needed a favor."

Daddy looked at me and smiled. "Your mother is being _persuaded_ to move to another state as we speak."

"Daddy, she won't move, you know that."

He shook his head. "Pumpkin, she doesn't have a choice. Her bags are being packed for her and Talon has a plane ready for takeoff."

"Where is she going?" I didn't really care, but needed to know far away she'd be. I lost the love I had for my mother a long time ago.

"She's being relocated to Australia. She'll be given some money until she can get herself a job. She'll need to support herself now."

I couldn't believe what was happening. "Daddy, what's to stop her from trying to come back?"

"Don't worry about that, Pumpkin. She won't be coming back, she will have people watching her every move."

I threw myself into my daddy's arms. He was, once again, protecting me at all costs. "Thank you, Daddy."

I never wanted to believe that I'd have a life without my mother, but I knew it was best for the little one. Best for my sanity and best for my family. I had my daddy, my husband, my brothers, my RangeMan family and my grandma. Soon, I'd have my baby too. That is all I'll need.

I went upstairs to take a nap before my doctor appointment. I was seven months now and the doctor wanted to see me every couple of weeks. I loved going in and hearing the heart beat. I made sure to keep a journal of what happened at the appointments as well as anything that happened at home. I wanted Lester to be able to read about everything he was missing so that he felt like he was a part of it.


	41. I'm sorry, could you repeat that?

**My New Life  
>I'm sorry, could you repeat that?<br>SapphireJ**

_Thank you to Margaret Fowler, suedesigns101, janetfan150, First Generation Scot, Angela Mueller, FairTaxGirl, and Rebecca Bell for their reviews of the last chapter._

_Suedesigns101, I understand your review, and believe me, I don't believe in shipping a woman off like that, but for the story, it worked. I hope you'll still read and enjoy the rest._

_Now, we are off to Tart Thursday for the week… please enjoy and let me know what you think!_

I was sitting in my office running searches for potential clients when Ram and Bobby walked in.

"Hey you two, what's up?" I asked them as they sat down on the edge of my desk.

"Not much, Steph," Bobby said as he took a few jelly beans from my dish. "Ram and I wondered if you'd like to go to lunch today?"

I looked at my schedule and shook my head. "I'd love to guys, but I have a meeting at 1130. I'm going to have to pass."

Looking at my clock, I saw it was 1045. I must have sighed because when I looked back at the guys, Ram was staring at me.

"Still not heard from Ranger?" Ram asked; he knew today was check-in for the boys.

Shaking my head, I answered, "No, but he's been in meetings since 0800 and I know the first one or two were off site. I'm sure once he gets back, I'll hear from him."

Ram squeezed my shoulder, rubbed my belly, and kissed my forehead. "Okay, well, call if you need anything. We're out of here; have a skip to get. If you change your mind and want us to bring you food, just call."

Ram and Bobby each kissed my head and left just as Tank came in. "Ready for the meeting, Steph?"

"Sure am, Tank. I have all the searches and everything looks legit. I also put together a package that I think will be beneficial for them. I think it will cover what they need and it stays in their price range."

Tank nodded and sat down. "Sounds like you've been busy."

I smiled at him. "I have to make sure I can keep my job."

He was about to say something, but my phone rang. I looked at the display and answered, "Hello, Rave."

"Hey One Shot. Andi and I are in the area and wondered if we could stop by."

I smiled and asked, "You need to rumble?"

I heard him laughing. "You know me so well."

"I'll let the guys know to let you in. Andi can take a nap in the apartment on four if she wants."

"Thanks, Steph. We're pulling up now." We hung up and I punched the number for control and got Manny.

"Control," came Manny's sweet voice.

"Manny, Raven and Andi are pulling up, can you let them in?"

"Sure thing," he said as he hung up.

Tank looked at me and smiled, "I think I'll head to the gym for a little bit myself." I knew Tank and a few of the others loved when Rave showed up to rumble.

"You're going to rumble with him." He nodded. "You know he likes to rumble with you, Cal and Hector the most? I think he likes it with Hector because he fights dirty."

Tank laughed and stood to leave. "Let me know how the meeting goes." After Tank left, I headed out to my meeting and made progress.

I wrapped up the meeting with a date and time for Hector and I to set up the equipment and a signed contract for two years. I was happy to be contributing to the success of the company and I knew the guys would be happy as well.

I stopped by Ranger's office to drop off the contract and noticed he was back. I knocked on the door and waited. "Enter." I opened the door and walked in. Ranger was sitting at his desk going over paperwork.

Smiling, I approached his desk, "I wasn't sure you'd be back, but I wanted to drop off a two year contract and installation agreement."

Ranger sat back in his chair and crossed his legs, "I take it the meeting went well?" The look on his face was one I'd never seen before. It was a cross between joy and pain; only I had no clue what the look was for.

I sat down in the chair across from his desk, "Yes, they liked the proposal I had. Hector and I will do the install tomorrow morning."

Ranger uncrossed his legs and actually looked a little nervous. "I'm calling a meeting in ten with you, Tank, Bobby, and Ram. Conference room A." He turned back to his computer and virtually dismissed me.

"Ok," I said and stood up, "I'm going to e-mail Hector with the list for tomorrow and I'll be right there."

I left his office and went to mine. After I had the e-mail sent, I headed to the conference room. Bobby, Tank, and Ram were there all waiting for me.

"Steph, please close the door." Ranger took a seat and waited.

I sat down, opened my water, and looked for Ranger to begin. I figured he'd be going over the new contracts or some shit like that.

"I heard from the government contact this morning." He looked around the room and settled his eyes on me. Taking a deep breath, he finally said, "Vince and Lester missed check-in."

The room started to spin and the blood rushed to my ears. I couldn't hear anything after that. Ram and Bobby were next to me rubbing my back and arms. I think it was Bobby whispering in my ear, "Steph, you need to breathe. Listen to my voice and just breathe."

I sat forward and tried to put my head between my knees, but it was difficult. Finally, the room stopped spinning and I was able to sit up. I looked at Ranger, fighting to keep the tears back. "I'm sorry; I don't think I heard you correctly. Could you please repeat yourself?"

"Steph, the guys missed their check-in," Ranger repeated. "But, before you get yourself worked up again, just listen. There are a few reasons this can happen." Ram grabbed my hand and squeezed. "The most likely one right now, is that they are in a poor area and unable to call in. That is what we are going with for now."

"But, it could be worse." I took a shuddering breath, unable to speak above a whisper, "We have to find them. Please tell me someone is looking for them."

"Steph," Bobby was rubbing my back again, "It is SOP that unless they miss two check-ins, they're considered just in a bad area. Once they hit three missed check-ins, an investigation will be started."

"NO," I screamed, "that will be too late. There needs to be something now." The tears were falling and there was nothing I could do to stop them. The guys just told me my husband missed a check-in and no one would even begin to look for him for another month.

My hands fell to my belly and started rubbing. The little one was kicking hard; guess he or she didn't like the news either. The little one was kicking non-stop. Ram's hand followed mine and his rubbing seemed to calm the kicking down.

Ranger looked at me and I thought I saw regret in his eyes. "Steph, we will do everything we can to find our guys and bring them home. Trust me. I'm in the process of trying to find out where they were sent to, but I'm not having a lot of luck. I have a few more contacts that I can question and I will get the info."

Ram kissed my forehead, Bobby was rubbing my back, and Tank and Ranger were asking me questions to make sure I was okay.

Once they believed that I wasn't going to pass out, I was allowed to get up. I walked numbly to my office, shut my door, sat down on my couch, and cried my eyes out until I fell into an exhausted sleep.

_Les, you have to come home. Come home now, please, oh God, please. Come home now! I. Need. You._


	42. New Roommates

_Thank you to Margaret Fowler, Mandyh, Reddnrad, FairTaxGirl, Janetfan150, XxXToriXxX, EEG, Rebecca Bell, Litlhulc, and MsSmith for your reviews of the last chapter. It means a lot to know you are still following and enjoying my story. Here is an extra chapter this week... Yes, I'm still posting on Tart Thursday ;)_

**My New Life  
>New Roommates<br>SapphireJ**

I had been sitting out on the back deck just listening to the birds sing while thinking about Lester and Vince. It had been a week since the guy missed their check-in and everyone kept telling me that nothing was wrong; the guys were just in a bad area.

I was lost in thoughts and hadn't noticed there was some next to me. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder; looking up, I saw Ram staring down at me. I smiled up at him and he squeezed my shoulder before sitting next to me.

"Morning, Steph," he said as he grabbed my hand.

"Hey," I smiled at him, "sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

"I know. You were pretty far away. Want to talk about it?"

I shook my head. "No, that's fine. What are you doing here so early?"

Ram shifted so he was facing me. "Came to check on you and see if you wanted breakfast before your doctor appointment."

I had forgotten about my doctor appointment. "Oh yeah. Um, I think I'll pass on going out. I'll just grab a bagel and some fruit." I looked around, "Where's Bobby?"

"He'll be here soon. He needed to check on Ranger this morning." He looked away as though he didn't want to say more.

"What happened to Ranger?" I stood up to stretch and felt the little one start kicking; my hands went to my belly and I smiled.

Ram placed his hand on my belly near mine and smiled as he felt the kicking. "Got stabbed in a takedown last night."

"Shit. Who?"

"Damn, that kid sure can kick." Ram laughed as his hand was kicked off my stomach. "Wheeler. Found him down on Stark Street. Ranger, Tank, Hal, and Cal were out and picked him up but not before he pulled a knife on Ranger."

"Wow. How bad is Ranger?" I know he can take care of himself, but I still don't like when one of the guys gets hurt.

"He'll be fine. He didn't need stitches, just a few band-aids." I turned around and saw Bobby standing there.

"Morning, Bobby."

He came over and kissed the top of my head. "Morning, Steph. How're you and the little one today?"

I smiled at him. These guys have all become like my brothers over the last few years. They have all become very protective of me even though I can take care of myself.

"We are fine. Little One is kicking up a storm today." He placed his hand on my abdomen and tapped his fingers when he didn't feel movement. Finally, the little one must have gotten upset and he or she kicked Bobby's hand away hard.

After we finished eating, we were getting ready to head to my appointment when Daddy came into the kitchen.

"Boys. Pumpkin." He came over and kissed my forehead.

"Morning, Daddy."

"Sir." Ram and Bobby both had nothing but respect for my dad.

"Any news on our boy?" Ram and Bobby both shook their head.

"Daddy, any news on Mom?" I knew where she was, and was grateful that she was out of my life, but she was still my mother.

"She is looking for a job," he told us as he took a sip of his coffee. "I set her up with an apartment and paid the first 6 months rent. However, that was it. If she doesn't want to starve or be homeless, then she needs a job."

"Daddy, what can she do? She has no skills." I knew my mother had always been a homemaker and housewife, she had no skills to do anything else.

"Well, I hear there's a button factory and a tampon factory," he laughed. "I'm sure she can get a job at one of those."

My mouth fell open, but the guys just burst out laughing.

Ram put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into the house, "Come on, Steph. Time for your doctor appointment."

We made it to the doctor's office with three minutes to spare.

"Stephanie, we're ready for you." Brianne was waiting for me as soon as I signed in. "You know the drill by now…weight, urine, blood pressure."

I stepped off the scale and she smiled at me. "You know, Steph, most women would have gained 80 pounds by now, using the excuse that "I'm eating for two" or "it's all baby weight". You have only gained 13 pounds. I'm amazed."

I smiled at her, "I still work out. I'm on the treadmill every morning and I do yoga in the afternoon."

"It shows. You'll have this weigh off as soon as the baby is born I bet. I bet the baby is going to be 8 pounds and the rest is probably water. Are you going to breastfeed?" she asked as she looked at the guys with me.

I nodded. "I want to, so hopefully I can."

"Well, by the time you are all done, you will most likely weigh less than when you got pregnant. Breastfeeding will help you lose weight as well."

We walked into the exam room and she handed me a sheet. "Dr. Bourke is going to want to do an exam today to see how you are doing. Just undress from the waist down." She looked at Ram and Bobby, "Boys, follow me?"

I had gotten undressed and covered up with the sheet when Dr. Bourke knocked on the door.

Walking in, Dr. Bourke smiled, "Hello, Stephanie. How are you today?"

"I'm fine."

Dr. Bourke had me lie back so he could examine me. "Any contractions?"

Shrugging, I answered, "Just Braxton Hicks. Nothing major."

"Well, keep an eye on them. If you have more than four Braxton Hicks in an hour, you need to call me. You are two centimeters dilated and your cervix is softening."

I sat up and looked at him. "What does that mean? I still have five weeks until the baby is due," I told him. I began to worry if something was wrong; I can't lose the baby… I can't.

"Well, I want the baby to stay in for at least three more weeks, but if that doesn't happen, there is nothing we can do to make him or her stay put. But, I don't want to do anything that might make it happen sooner." He looked at my chart. "How's work? Any stress?"

"Not with work. All I do is sit at a desk all day." He looked at me and waited. "My stress is from Les and his job."

"He's not back. I saw Bobby and Ram talking with Brianne," he nodded towards the door.

"No, he's not and he missed he check-in last week. I'm worried." I wiped the few tears that spilled down my face.

Dr. Bourke came over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about him. From what I've heard, he's one of the best guys out there. Now, I'd like to talk to Bobby and you about what to watch for, so why don't you get dressed and we'll be back in…after Ram is done talking to Brianne."

"Yeah," I snorted, "I think Ram has a crush."

"Well, Brianne is single. Any idea how he is with kids?"

I looked at Dr. Bourke and shook my head. "Trying to play matchmaker?" He nodded. "How old is her kid? I didn't know she had one."

Dr. Bourke took out his wallet and pulled a picture out. "Sammi is ten months old. Isn't she a cutie?" I looked at the picture and saw Brianne and her baby girl.

"Yes, she is beautiful. Do you always carry pictures of your workers and their kids?" I was surprised that he had the picture.

He laughed at me and smiled. "Only when they are of my daughter and granddaughter."

I about fell off the bed. "Brianne is your daughter?"

Dr. Bourke nodded. "My one and only little girl." He put the picture back in his wallet and nodded to the door. "I'll be back in a moment with Bobby and Ram."

I was dressed when there was a knock at the door again. Bobby and Dr. Bourke entered and waited. Finally after a minute, Bobby went and drug Ram in the room.

"Gentlemen, I have a few things to discuss with you."

Dr. Bourke told them that I was in the very very early stages of labor and that I wasn't to be left alone. They made a huge decision and I didn't have a say…Bobby and Ram were moving in with me until either the baby was born or Lester was back. They both said that they'd be hurt if anything happened to me or the little one; so I was gaining two roommates and I was told that if I put up a fuss, I'd have half of RangeMan living at my place.

What could I do…I agreed.


	43. Why?

_This chapter will be done in Ram's POV. Not mine, not making money. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter... it means a lot! Enjoy (and don't kill me!)._

**My New Life  
>Why?<br>SapphireJ**

Bobby and I have been living with Stephanie for just over a week now. Lester and Vince still haven't checked in and the longer it goes on, the more worried I get.

Bobby got up this morning and headed into work early. I have the day off, so I got the coffee going and started on breakfast. I knew Steph hadn't been eating much, but she still needed to eat for the baby.

I heard the shower start upstairs and knew she'd be down shortly. I called Raven and Andi and asked them to come over today. I knew Steph would love the company and this would give Raven and I a chance to finish the nursery. Steph wanted to hold off on that as long as possible with the hopes that Lester would be back in time to help her with it, but it is getting too close for the baby to be born and it needs to be finished.

"Morning, Ram," I heard bringing me out of my musings.

I turned around and smiled. "Morning, Steph. I have coffee for you and some eggs and toast. Are you hungry?"

"Sounds good." I saw her look around. "Where's Bobby?"

"He's already at work. He had the early shift. I've invited Raven and Andi over for a little bit today," I told her as I got the food ready.

"Thanks." I sat her food in front of her and went to take care of the dishes.

The doorbell rang and before I could get to it, Steph was already there. I heard her call out a _hello_ to Raven and Andi. I peeked around the corner and sure enough, they had the rest of the stuff to finish the nursery.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"Well, that baby is going to be here in a few weeks, so Ram and I thought we'd finish the nursery for you while you and Andi sit and relax. You can either watch us or go sit by the pool." Raven was ready for her to object, but we really hoped she wouldn't.

Never one to argue with her brother, Steph nodded her head and came back into the kitchen. "Thanks, Ram. I really appreciate all you've done for me the past few months."

I gave her a hug and kissed her head. "No problem, Steph. I'm glad I'm around here to help you out."

We all went to the nursery and Steph showed us where she wanted things and Raven and I got to work. Just after we finished the nursery, we were heading out to the pool. The door bell rang again, and Steph went to answer it.

I didn't think anything until I heard her start yelling. I walked into the living room behind Andi and Raven and saw Ranger, Tank, and Bobby. I couldn't understand why she was yelling at them.

"No, no, no. I won't listen to you. Why? Why are you lying to me? Why are you keeping him from coming home to me and our little one? You son of a bitch." I saw her push Ranger with her hands, "Get the hell out of my house." Stephanie was using her fists and hitting Ranger in his chest. I was sure she was hurting herself more than him.

I looked from Ranger to Tank to Bobby and all the sudden I understood. I pushed past Tank and got to Stephanie just before she collapsed. Raven helped me get her to the couch.

I looked up at Ranger and saw his blank mask. "What the fuck man?"

"I didn't even have to tell her. She knew. When she opened the door and saw us, she knew what we were here to tell her." Ranger sat down on the coffee table and brushed Steph's hair out of her face. Bobby was trying to take her vital signs and Tank looked like he'd just lost his best friend.

"Ranger, what the hell happened?" Raven was getting pissed.

"I received a call from the government about three hours ago. They said that at least ten bombs went off in the compound that Vince and Lester were last known to be at. There were no survivors."

I looked at Bobby and realized that he had his blank face on and he hadn't worn that face in many many years. He had just lost his best friend.

"Are you sure? Are you sure they were there and not somewhere else?" Andi had tears in her eyes, but she was trying to keep them from falling.

Ranger clenched his hands to fight from screaming. "They found some personal items that are always on Les and Vince. They have their dog tags, Les' wedding ring, and Vince's cross. These things were found in different places of the compound." Ranger lowered his voice and I could barely hear him. "They said there were body parts all over the place."

"Christ, I've never liked telling the next of kin, but right now, this is the worst one I've ever had to do. Not only do I have to tell the next of kin of my cousin, but she is pregnant and they were meant for each other."

Stephanie started to stir and I knew she was coming around. Bobby and I sat down next to the couch and saw her open her eyes. "Hey guys. What happened?" She looked around in confusion and I knew exactly when she remembered what happened.

The tears were instant and her whole body shook. I tried holding and comforting her, but there was nothing I could do. Finally she settled down and looked at Ranger. "I want to know what happened. Everything you know, I deserve to know."

Ranger nodded and sat down next to her. He told her about the call from the government, what was said, what was found, and what they believe happened. He told her that the government found Lester's dog tags and wedding ring, but he didn't tell her about the body parts scattered everywhere.

Bobby kept an eye on her vital signs and tried to get her to drink some water. She got up and walked to the nursery. Raven tried to follow her, but she told him she wanted to be left alone.

The rest of us sat around the living room trying to figure out where we go from here. Bobby spoke up first. "She won't be left alone. EVER. She is part of this family. Lester is my best friend. Steph and the baby will be taken care of. I don't care if we have to move in here or move her and the baby to RangeMan, but she will not be left to deal with this alone. Nor will she be left to raise this baby alone."

We all nodded. Steph was part of our family. Hell, we all remember when she first came into our lives; she couldn't stand to be touched by anyone other than Lester. Most of the guys still don't know the reason why, but I did. I knew what had happened to her. Lester found a way to help her overcome her fears and now she seems to not only welcome the hugs, but also need them from time to time.

"Ranger, have you talked to Vince's family yet?" He shook his head.

"I'm heading over there in a few minutes. I wanted to tell Stephanie first."

"I'm going with you." Ranger started to object. "Look, Bobby and Raven can stay here with Steph. I NEED to be there when you tell Vince's family. I've known him my whole life. He's like a brother to me. I need to do this with you."

Ranger nodded. "I understand. As long as Bobby stays here, then you can come with. I appreciate it."

I went to check on Steph and let her know I was leaving for a little bit, but that I'd be back. I walked into the nursery and heard her soft cries. I sat down on the footstool in front of her and pulled her into me.

"I'm so sorry, Steph. I don't know what else to say." I felt her relax into me and heard the cries intensify.

"He can't be gone, Ram. He just can't be. He has to come home to see the baby born. He has to be here to help me raise our baby. I can't do this alone. I can't."

"Shhh, Steph. We will all be here to help you. We will all tell the baby about his or her daddy. You are not alone."

"Why? Can you tell me that? Why did he have to go? Why did he have to die? I don't understand that. Why couldn't they have sent someone who didn't have a family on the way?" Stephanie slapped her hand over her mouth as soon as that was out. "Oh God. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"I know, Steph. I know. Why don't you go take a nap? You are under a lot of stress right now and that isn't good for the baby. I need to go with Ranger to talk to Vince's family. Bobby, Raven, and Andi are downstairs. I'll be back as soon as I can."

I stood up and helped her into her bedroom. She stopped and looked at me. "I'm so sorry. I know you and Vince were close. I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through."

I hugged her tight to me and let myself feel the loss for a moment. Vince and I had grown up together, we went to the Army together, and we started at RangeMan together. His parents were like my own.

I tucked Steph into bed and made sure she was asleep before I left her room. She needed rest and I didn't want anything happening to the baby.

I made my way downstairs and told Bobby and Raven that Steph was asleep. Raven said he was going to head the garage apartment and tell Steph's dad.

I headed out the door with Ranger and Tank. I didn't want to do this, but I knew I needed to. I knew how Vince's mother was going to react and it wouldn't be good. _God, why did this have to happen to them? They were amazing men. I need to find out what happened._

It was an hour drive to Vince's parents place…an hour that spent in silence seemed like three hours. I think we were all dreading what was about to happen. When we pulled up in the drive, I jumped out of the SUV and made my way to the door. I rang the door bell and walked in.

We were met by Vince's mom and she was happily surprised to see me until she saw the looks on Ranger and Tanks face. Then, just like Steph, she knew something was horribly wrong. We spent an hour with the family making sure they were okay. They said they'd let us know when the memorial was and that if we needed anything, to stop by.

Vince's mother also gave me a baby blanket that she'd made for Steph and Lester's baby. I promised that I'd be back by sometime next week to help them with anything they needed.

One the way back to Trenton, my phone rang; without looking at the display, I answered.

"Hello?"

"Ram? This is Raven. Bobby said to call you and tell you to get to St. Francis ASAP."

"What's wrong?" I practically yelled into the phone. Tank turned to look at me with worry on his face.

"Steph. She's gone into labor. Her contractions are six minutes apart and her water broke. Looks like the baby is on the way."

"Fuck. We are an hour out but we are on the way." I closed the phone and looked up front. "St. Francis, now. Steph's in labor and her water broke."

I heard Ranger and Tank sigh and felt the SUV accelerate. We had to get to the hospital before the baby was born. Steph had to know we were all there for her.


	44. And Baby Makes

_Sorry this is late. Was busy and forgot to upload it Thursday. Enjoy... and a few of you might want to grab the kleenex box for the next few chpaters! Have a great week! See ya next Thursday!_

**My New Life  
>And Baby Makes…<br>SapphireJ**

I was taken to the hospital by my dad, Bobby, Raven, and Andi. I was in such pain that I didn't think I'd be able to take it.

My contractions were closer and by the time we got to the hospital, I felt like I needed to push. Dr. Bourke met me on the maternity floor and examined me once I was in my room.

"Stephanie, you're about to become a mother. Are you ready?"

"Fuck no!" I screamed. "I need Lester here. Please, I can't do this alone."

I felt Bobby grab my hand. "Steph, you are not alone. I'm here and I'll help you all I can. Now, listen to me. You need to help get the baby out, okay?"

I looked at Bobby and nodded. "Ram! Where's Ram? Why isn't he here? You two said you'd be my coaches."

"Steph, we called him. He's an hour away, but he is coming." I didn't hear anything else because I screamed with the contraction.

Bobby was wiping my forehead down and I heard Dr. Bourke talking to me. "Stephanie, did you hear me? With the next contraction, I want you to push."

I nodded and took a deep breath. When the pain hit, I pushed through it.

I heard Bobby in my ear, "Push, push, push. You're doing good. Keep pushing, Steph."

Just as I took another breath to continue pushing, I heard Dr. Bourke, "Stop pushing for a minute, Steph. The baby's head is out. Just relax for a minute." I heard the doctor cleaning out the baby's mouth. "Steph, one more push and you can meet your baby."

I pushed again and the next thing I knew, I had a baby laying on my chest. "It's a boy! Congratulations."

I had tears in my eyes. This time they were happy tears. I had a son. I had part of Lester curled up on my chest looking at me. I ran my fingers over his head.

"A son. Les and I made a son." I looked up at Bobby and saw his eyes were wet.

"Steph, he's beautiful. You and Les did a great job." Bobby leaned over and kissed my head as the nurse took my son.

"He's got Les' blonde hair and green eyes, Bobby."

Bobby looked over at the baby and smiled. "Yeah, he's Les' clone."

There was a knock at the door and Ram walked in. "Hey there. I'm sorry. I got here as fast as I could." Ram walked over and kissed my head. "So, we have baby?"

"Yes, a boy," I smiled at him as he pushed my hair off my forehead.

"Congratulations, Steph. I'm sorry I wasn't here."

"Hey, it's okay. I had Bobby here." I patted the bed next to me for Ram to sit down. "How are Vince's parents?"

I saw Ram's eyes change to sadness. "They are doing okay. I'll be going back out there next week...they are going to have a memorial for Vince."

The nurse came back over with my son and handed him to me. "Mrs. Santos, are you going to breastfeed?" I nodded my head. "I'll give you an hour with your son and then we need to take him to the nursery for his bath and a few newborn tests. Go ahead and see if you can get him latched on." She looked at Ram and smiled. "Have you two come up with a name yet?"

I looked at her with confusion and realized what she thought. "Oh, he's not the father. He's my work partner and a great friend." Her lips turned into a smile and she left.

"Want me to leave so you can have some private time?" Ram asked. I thought about it and nodded.

"If you don't mind. I'd like a little time alone with my son. Plus, you can tell everyone in the lobby that it's a boy. Who will go to the nursery with him?"

"I don't know, but I'll find out." Ram leaned over and kissed the baby on his head. "I'll be back in a little bit."

After Ram and Bobby left, I tried to get the baby to latch on. I had to smile as he took to it right away. "You really are just like your daddy. He's a breast man, too."

I sat there watching my son breastfeed and was just amazed that Lester and I had created this little boy. "Les, God I wish you were here with me now. I need to know what to name him. I like Mateo Christopher, but I know you like Joaquin Michael." I felt the tears falling down my face as I slid a finger into my sons' fist. "I miss you, Lester. I miss you so damn much. I can't believe you are gone, but I also don't think Ranger would lie to me."

I looked at my son and smiled. "So, are you a Mateo Christopher or a Joaquin Michael?" He didn't make any noise or movements; he just concentrated on the task at hand, or should I say task at mouth. When he was done eating, I laid him down on his back and unwrapped his blanket. I needed to see for myself that he had all ten fingers and ten toes. I couldn't believe how tiny he was.

As I looked at him, I knew he was going to grow up to be so handsome. He had his daddy's eyes and hair. Bobby was right, Lester did clone himself.

A little while later, there was a knock at my door. My dad, Tank, Ram, and Raven walked in.

"Hi Pumpkin." Daddy came over, gave me a kiss and looked at his grandson. "He's a cutie, Steph." Daddy sat down next to me and put an arm around me. "I'm sorry about Lester, sweetheart."

"Me too, Daddy. I'm trying to be brave and strong for the baby, but I just want to break down and cry, scream, hit something…anything. I want my husband back home. How can I raise our son alone?"

The nurse came in and told me it was time for them to take my son to the nursery.

"Ram," I said looking up at him, "whose going to be with the baby?"

The nurse looked at me and smiled. "So, this is the little guy that has a waiting room filled with security men."

"Yeah, sorry about that." I picked up my son and hugged him before handing him to the nurse.

"Oh honey, don't you worry about that. I think we have more nurses here today than we usually have…no one called in today," she said with a wink.

"Steph, Tank will go to the nursery with the baby. Bobby and I are taking the first shift for your room once you get moved. Manny and Cal will take the second and then Hal and Hector will do the third shift. Then you should be released tomorrow."

"Thank you guys. I love you all."

Tank followed the nurse out to the nursery; I knew my son would be safe. I took my shower and got cleaned up. Shortly after I was done with the shower, I was moved to my room for the night. Ram and Bobby came in to check on me before taking up their spots outside my door.

"Where's Ranger?" I looked at Ram. "I want to talk to him."

Ram stood, went to the door and a few seconds later, Ranger entered and Ram and Bobby took their spots outside the door.

"I'm sorry for hitting you," I told him. I know my face was red; I couldn't believe I'd actually hit him.

"Don't worry about it. I expected worse. I really didn't want to do that." I saw the look of worry in his eyes.

"Hey, I'll be fine. Eventually. I think it just needs to set in." I watched as he looked around the room; he was nervous about looking at me. "Have you told his parents?"

Ranger nodded. "Tia said she'd been expecting a call like that for years actually. She is doing better than I thought she would. I also told her about the baby. She'd like to come see him and help you out, but she said she didn't want to crowd you."

"I can't keep her from her grandson and I won't. I like his parents, I really do. I'll call her tomorrow when we get home."

Ranger nodded and sat down. "I saw him. He looks a lot like Lester." I smiled at that thought. "Have a name yet?"

I thought about it some more and nodded. "Well, I liked Mateo Christopher; Les' middle name and my daddy's middle name. Lester liked Joaquin Michael. I wasn't sure what one to use. I want to honor Lester's idea for a name, but also keep something of the name I picked out. So…I think I'm going to use a little of both of them and name him Joaquin Mateo Santos. Quin for short."

Ranger smiled the first real smile I'd seen from him in a long time. "I think Les would like that."

"Ranger. I'd like to do some sort of memorial for Lester. Just RangeMan and his family." I saw Ranger nod his head and assumed he'd already been thinking of that. "I'd also like to ask you something."

"Anything."

"Would you help me make sure that Quin knows his daddy? I want him to know that Les is a hero. That he was a great man who was loved by many. I want him to see pictures of Lester so he knows what his daddy looked like."

"I will," he nodded.

Taking a deep breath, I asked the next question, "Would you please be Quin's Godfather?"

The look on Ranger's face told me I had shocked him. "Stephanie, are you sure? Wouldn't you want one of your brother's to be his Godfather?" I shook my head. "Why me?"

"It's simple. You and Les are cousins, but I also know Les looked at you as more of a brother. He and I talked about it one night and we both agreed that you were the best choice for both of us. Believe it or not, we know you are wonderful with children. And I know you'd do anything to protect him if need be."

Ranger thought for a few minutes and finally sighed. "I'd be honored to be Quin's Godfather."

"Thank you."

"Now, I'm going to go. I have a building full of employees wanting to know how you and the baby are. I'll check in on you tomorrow." He leaned down, kissed my forehead, and squeezed my shoulder. "You're going to be a wonderful mother, Steph. Don't worry about that. And we will all make sure Quin knows about Lester."

I nodded my head, unable to speak due to a lump in my throat. I waited until he left my room and then the tears broke free. "You son of a bitch, how could you leave me like this? How could you leave me when I need you here to help raise our baby? You fucking promised me you'd be here for me and the little one. Why? Why? WHYYYYYYY? I love you; did you not believe me? Did you not love me enough to fight to come home? I…need…you…so…fucking…much."


	45. It's All About Quin

**My New Life  
>It's All About Quin<br>SapphireJ**

_Not mine, but having fun with them! Quick thank you to litlhulc, fairtaxgirl, Margaret fowler, janetfan150, eeg, mssmith, and mouselle for the reviews of the last chapter. It means a lot to know you are still reading and enjoying! So, let me know what you think of this one ;)_

When I woke up, I heard Tank talking to someone. After listening for a few seconds, I realized he was talking to Quin. I kept my eyes closed and listened.

"Now, you listen here. Your momma has had a rough day. She's had good mixed with bad, happy mixed with sad and her emotions are all over the place. She might look at you one minute and be all smiles, but then start crying."

"It is nothing to do with you, but she received some very upsetting news about your daddy today. She's going to need some time to heal, and I think you can help her with that."

"Tank?" I opened my eyes to see my tiny son held in Tank's huge hands…made Quin look even smaller.

"Hey there Steph. Quinny and I were just having a little talk." Tank stood up and walked over to my bed. "Want to hold him?"

"Of course." I took my son and looked at him sleeping. "I take it Ranger told you the name?" Tank nodded. "Do you think Les would have liked it.?"

"Steph, he would have loved the name. Oh, Quinny is five pounds two ounces and seventeen and a half inches."

"Wow, you are a tiny thing, huh?" I looked up at Tank with a question in my eyes. "Why Quinny?"

Tank shrugged. "Just seems to fit him for me."

"Okay. You know, you will be the only one to get away with calling him that." Tank smiled at me and ruffled my hair.

"Good. I don't want anyone else calling him Quinny." Tank pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down. "How are you doing, Steph?"

I sighed and looked at him. "It's been a rough day. How do you think I'm feeling?" I looked at Quin and ran my finger over his cheek. "I'm pissed, Tank. I'm very very pissed at Lester right now. I know I shouldn't be, but I can't help it." I had tears rolling down my face, but I didn't care.

"Steph, you have every right to be pissed right now. It is all part of the process. Just don't forget…we are all here for you and Quinny."

"No one can tell me why he's gone, why he didn't fight harder, why he left me to take care of a baby on my own. No one can tell me because there are no answers. I know I shouldn't be blaming him and I really try hard not to. But, that is all my mind is asking right now, is why? I know Les did all he could and hell, he probably saved some lives in the process of losing his, but dammit, I don't want him dead. I want and need him here with me." I could stop the flood gates from opening and boy did they let loose.

"He's here, Steph. He's here in Quinny and he's here in your heart. Don't ever forget that. He loved you more than anything. I'll never forget the first time he met you at the bonds office. Once he got back from taking you on survelliance, he came back to RangeMan and told me and Bobby that he was going to marry you someday. He said you were made for him. The more time you two spent together, the more I saw he was right."

"He loved you with all his heart and soul. I'd never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at you."

The tears were non-stop while I listened to Tank. "Thanks. I think I needed to hear that."

Quin started to cry and I figured he was probably hungry. Tank stood up and came to the bed. "I'll get going, so you two can have some private time. Ram and Bobby are outside for now. Call if you need anything, okay?"

I nodded and Tank leaned down to kiss Quin's cheek and my forehead. "Tank, thanks for going to the nursery with Quin. I appreciate it."

"No problem. I liked being one of the first to hold him. Get some rest and I'll check on you tomorrow."

After Tank left, I nursed Quin until he was full. I had a few more visitors, but no one stayed for more than a few minutes. I put Quin in his bassinet and pulled it next to my bed. When I was sure he was asleep, I drifted off myself.

When I woke up next, I saw Bobby and Ram sitting in chairs with Quin's bassinet between them. I sat there and watched them for a few minutes before they realized I was awake.

"Man, he looks so much like Les already." Bobby was running his finger down Quin's cheek.

"Yeah, he does. How do you think she's really doing, Bobby?"

"I think she'll be okay. She's going to have her good days and bad days for a while, but she has a part of Lester with her. A part that no one else in this world will ever have." Bobby looked over at Ram and sighed. "I'm not moving out yet. She's going to need some help for a few weeks."

I saw Ram nod his head. "I'm not going anywhere either."

I sat up in my bed and looked at the two of them. "I'm not asking you guys to leave, but I don't want to cause problems for you and the job."

Bobby looked up at me and smiled. "You won't. Ranger knows where we are. We aren't that far from RangeMan. I figure one of us can change shifts, so that you always have one of us there with you. Then when Quin naps, you can nap and we can take care of the house."

"I owe you guys so much. Thank you for being here."

Bobby got up and sat on the bed next to me. "Steph, I'll always be here for you and Quin. I know the guys will be too."

"Bobby, I just don't want to cause problems with you and Kennedy. I know she can't be too happy about you living in my house right now."

"Steph, stop. Kennedy and I have talked; she understands why I'm living in your place right now. Once I talk to her later, I know she'll expect me to stay longer."

"You haven't told her about Lester, yet, have you?" Bobby shook his head no. "Go. Go tell her. You need to deal with this as well. I know you just lost your best friend and partner. Go be with Kennedy, talk to her."

Bobby stood up and nodded. "I think I will. If you need anything, though, please call me and I'll be right back." He leaned down, kissed Quin on his forehead and then kissed my head. He looked at Ram on the way out. "You staying here?" Ram nodded and Bobby left.

Quin started crying again and Ram jumped up. "What's he need?"

I smiled at Ram and shook my head. "Well, I would imagine a diaper change and to be nursed." Ram went back to the bassinet and grabbed the wipes and a diaper. Before I could even blink, Ram was changing Quin for me.

Ram picked him up and handed him to me. "He's all set to eat." Ram went back to his chair and sat down. I looked at him for a minute before he spoke. "What?"

"Um, I'm breastfeeding," I told him, fully expecting him to leave the room.

"And?" Ram picked up his magazine and stretched his legs out in front of him.

"You're staying?" Ram nodded. "Okay, don't say I didn't warn you." I slid my arm out of my beautiful hospital gown and got Quin latched on. When I looked down, I realized that I was mostly covered and Ram couldn't see much more than was shown when I had on a distraction outfit.

I was surprised at how comfortable I felt nursing Quin in front of someone. It just seemed so natural that soon I was talking to Ram while Quin ate.

"Ram, did you know I was having a boy?" I asked him.

"Nah, Bobby knew, but that was all. He asked if anyone wanted to know and we all said no, we'd wait with you. Honestly, I don't think any of us could have kept it a secret and we knew you didn't want to know." He sat his magazine down and smiled at me. "I like his name. I think you did great."

"Well, it's a mix of a name I liked and a name Les liked. I think Les would have loved the compromise." I looked down and saw Quin had fallen asleep while nursing. I unlatched him, covered up, and burped him.

"He is so tiny. I just can't believe he is really here and I'm holding him. This day would be perfect if Les would walk through the door."

Ram saw a tear slide down my cheek and he came over to the bed. He sat next to me and slipped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him. "It's going to take time, Steph, but it will get easier. I can't tell you when, just that it will."

I looked at Ram and saw sadness in his eyes. "Ram, have you been through this before?" He took a deep breath and nodded. "Want to talk?"

We sat there in silence for so long that I wasn't sure he even heard me. Ram startled me when he started talking.

"Five years ago, I got married to the love of my life. Shelli and I had known each other our entire lives; we grew up next door to each other. We dated in high school and throughout my Army career. I finally asked her to marry me and she said yes. We got married and six months later we found out she was pregnant."

"We were both ecstatic. We couldn't wait to add to our family. We found out we were having a baby girl. I bought everything I could think of for our daughter. We decorated her room, had toys and clothes, everything was set."

Ram reached over with his left hand and caressed Quin's cheek. "One day, when she was seven months pregnant, she was coming home from her parents' house. As far as we could tell, the semi-driver was too tired and fell asleep at the wheel. He crossed the line and hit Shelli head on. Shelli and Olivia were killed instantly."

I leaned my head on Ram's shoulder and felt him squeeze me to him. "I'm sorry, Ram. I had no idea."

"I know. It's not something I talk about a lot. It still hurts. I'd been in love with Shelli since I could remember. I never got to tell her goodbye. I never got to tell her I loved her one more time. I never got to hold Olivia. So, yes, I know some of what you are feeling and a little more."

"Steph, know this. I'll do anything I can to make sure you and Quin are always cared for and safe." He kissed my temple and took Quin from me to lay him in his bassinet. "Get some rest. I can see you are exhausted. I'll be here when you wake and I'll keep an eye on Quin while you sleep."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I never realized how much Ram had been through in such a short amount of time. I think of all the guys, he is probably the only one that really has a little idea of what I'm feeling.

I fell asleep to the sound of Ram singing to Quin. Hmm…something else I didn't know about him.


	46. Memorials and Meetings

_I wanted to take a moment and thank Rebecca Bell, Litlhulc, FairTaxGirl, Mandyh, EEG, MsSmith, Margaret Fowler, Ziandra2010, Elliemae789, Janetfan150, Mouselle, and Susangw for the reviews of chapter 45. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review... it means a lot!_

_A few of you may need kleenex for the next few chapters... there is your warning ;)_

**My New Life  
>Memorials &amp; Meetings<br>SapphireJ**

Quin and I were released from the hospital the next night. I couldn't believe I was being released to take care of a baby on my own. What the hell do I know about taking care of a baby?

Daddy, Ram, and Bobby met me in my room and walked down with us. I was in the wheelchair with Quin on my lap. He was sleeping peacefully and he weighed next to nothing in my arms.

"Steph, I put Quin's car seat in the Escalade. I figured you and your dad can ride in the back with him."

"Thanks Bobby. I appreciate it." Bobby grabbed the diaper bag that mysteriously showed up this morning packed with newborn size diapers. It was a good thing, too. The diapers the hospital had were too big for Quin and he was swimming in them. The guys also picked out a homecoming outfit for Quin; a black onsie with the RangeMan logo and a pair of handcuffs on the front and Santos Baby on the back. I had to admit, he really did look cute.

We piled in the Escalade and headed home. Just like Quin, I fell asleep and woke when Ram opened my door. I got out and let Ram unhook Quin's carrier from the base. Bobby helped me walk up the steps while Daddy went ahead and opened the door.

When I stepped into the living room, I was instantly surrounded by friends and family. Most of RangeMan was there, including Ella and Luis. My grandma, Connie, Mary Lou, Lula, Andi, Raven, and Eagle were there with big smiles on their faces.

There was a banner hanging in the living room above the fireplace. "Welcome Home Stephanie and Joaquin," and it was signed by everyone there and the missing RangeMen.

Ella came over to me and hugged me tight. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Stephanie. He was a wonderful man." I nodded into her shoulder, afraid if I tried to talk, I'd cry. "I don't mean to upset you. If you need anything, and I do mean anything, let me know."

She stepped away from me and looked down at Quin in his carrier. "Oh, Stephanie. He is just beautiful." Ella looked up at me and smiled. "Can I hold him?"

I nodded my head and bent down to get Quin out of his carrier. By then, all the ladies had crowded around for another glimpse of my son. When I handed Quin to Ella, he opened his eyes and just stared at her. Ella was making faces at him and whispering in Spanish to him.

One by one all the guys came over to offer their congratulations. Ram and Bobby stayed close by and made sure I had something to drink. The doctor told me to make sure I was drinking enough water if I was breastfeeding, so those two made sure I had a water bottle in my hand at all times.

I went to the kitchen and was shocked at the amount of food on the counters. There were crock-pots filled with food, sandwiches, pies, fruits, pasta salads, everything you could think of.

I looked back at Ranger and Tank as they walked in behind me. "Who did all this?"

Ranger grabbed a piece of celery and munched on it. "Most of the women out there. They didn't want you to come home and have to cook for a few days, so they all agreed to bring over food. The stuff that is set here is for today. Your fridge and freezer should be stocked as well as your cabinets."

Everyone had some food and sat around talking for the rest of the evening. I excused myself a few times to go nurse Quin and just be alone for a little bit. During one of my nursing sessions, there was a knock on Quin's door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Ella stepped through. "I hope I'm not disturbing you too much, but I wanted to talk to you."

Shaking my head, I told her, "If you don't mind talking while Quin nurses, then we are fine."

"Stephanie, I just wanted you to understand that I meant what I said earlier. If you need anything dear, all you have to do is ask. I can babysit, I can cook meals for you, I can be a shoulder to cry on. While I don't know what you are going through from a spouse's point of view, I do know from a parent's point of view."

I must have looked shocked at that.

"Yes, Luis and I had a son that joined the Marines when he was eighteen. A few days before his twenty-second birthday, I had two men, in uniform, walk up to my door and inform me that my only child had been killed in combat. He had been captured by the enemy and when he wouldn't talk, they shot him in the head."

I had tears in my eyes again, imagining Lester being captured and shot. I didn't know which was better; that vision or the vision of what I was told happened.

Quin finished nursing and was asleep. Ella took him from me to put him in his crib while she and I finished talking.

"I don't mean to upset you, dear." I shook my head, unable to talk yet again. "I just wanted you to know that I do know some of what you are going through. A few of the men know about the loss of a loved one and I know one knows the loss of a spouse."

"I know. He talked to me last night." Ella smiled and patted my hand.

"I best get back out there before they get worried. Just remember, I'm here any time of day or night." Ella looked at Quin on her way out and gave him a kiss on his head. "So precious."

LS~LS~LS~LS~LS~LS~

The next few days seemed to blend together. Quin and I would sleep, he'd wake up to be changed and nursed and we'd go back to sleep. Eventually the sleeping for me got less and less. Bobby and Ram had been wonderful. They helped out as much as they could around the house and with Quin. Daddy was in the house every day helping with his grandson. He was already talking about taking him fishing when he was old enough.

I was in the back yard playing with Quin when I heard the backdoor open. I looked up and couldn't believe my eyes. I sat Quin down in the sandbox and ran to the door, flinging myself in Lester's waiting arms.

"Hey Baby. I've missed you." Lester looked in my eyes and wiped away the tears that were falling. "Hey, none of that. I'm home now, and I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here to watch over you two."

"I love you, Lester. Don't you ever leave me again." I hugged him tight and refused to let him go.

Lester picked me up and carried me over to the chair by the sandbox. Sitting me on his lap, he looked down at Quin. "Wow, that's our son?" I nodded and he smiled. "He looks like me. Is he a handful, too?" I laughed and nodded.

"More than you know."

Quin crawled over to us and raised his hands. "Up." Lester leaned over, picked him up, and sat him on my lap. Quin laid his head down against my chest, and I laid my head on Lester's shoulder. We all fell asleep wrapped in Lester's arms.

I woke up to Quin's screams. I opened my eyes and tried to grab him so he wouldn't roll off my lap, but he wasn't there. When I sat up, I realized I was alone in my bed and it had all been a dream. The tears were instant and non-stoppable.

Daddy opened my door with Quin in his arms. "Hey, Pumpkin. I think he's hungry again." Daddy walked over to my bed and saw I was crying. He put Quin down in the middle off the bed and hugged me to him. He sat there rocking me for a few minutes before I stopped crying. "What to talk about it?"

"Just a dream, I guess, but it seemed so real. Like he was here, holding me and Quin. Daddy, when will it be easier?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. I just don't know. I've never had to deal with something like this."

I picked Quin up and hugged him. Daddy left my room so I could nurse Quin in private.

LS~LS~LS~LS~LS~LS~

It was the day of Vince's memorial. I didn't want to go, but it was for selfish reasons. Bobby and Ram said everyone would understand if I stayed home, but I couldn't do that. I knew that Vince would have protected Lester as much as he could and I owed it to both of them to go.

We loaded in the SUV and drove to the church. There were pictures of Vince at various ages all around the church. Vince's mother greeted me when I walked in. She was happy to see me and Quin and invited us to sit with her and her husband. Various people, including all of RangeMan, stood up and said some words about Vince.

His mother took the podium and said her peace. "My son died doing what he loved best, defending his country, keeping all of us safe, and helping others. I knew one day I'd get the call that he was gone. I'm just grateful that he came to see me shortly before he left for this last mission.

"He said he knew it was going to be Hell. He was going deep and they were sending not only him, but Lester as well. I know all of you know Lester. He was at all of our parties and gatherings. He was like another son. Anyway, Vince said they were sending both of them on the same mission and I knew then, that it was a possibility that he may not come back. Vince and Lester were never sent on the same mission unless it was big.

"I am proud of my son. Proud of the life he chose, proud of the things he has done, and the choices he has made. I'll miss you Vince. I love you."

When she finished, she had tears in her eyes and was starting to shake. She came, sat back down next to me, put one arm around my shoulders, and played with Quin's fingers with her other hand.

We all went back to her place for food and drinks after the memorial. I put Quin in his carrier so he could nap while everyone ate and talked.

When it was time to go home, Vince's parents gave me a hug, told me to be sure to bring Quin around sometimes, and not to be a stranger.

"I'm having a memorial for Lester next week. You both are welcome to come if you like."

"We'll be there. If for no other reason, then to help you through it. Give me a call if you ever need anything." Vince's mother hugged me one last time, kissed Quin on his head and stood in the door as we walked to the vehicle.

One memorial down, one more to go. _God,Les. I hate you so much right now. How can I hate someone that I love with all my heart? How is that possible? I have to say good bye to you next week and I'm not ready to. We should have had many years ahead of us. I hate you. I hate you…I HATE YOU. _

I felt Ram's arm around me and it brought me out of my thinking. "It's okay, Steph. Hate is part of the process."

"How…" I looked at Ram with questions in my eyes. "How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I've been there. I hated her for so long for what had happened. I kept telling myself that had she not gone to her parents' house that day, or if she'd just waited for me to go with her, things would have been different. I hated her for going without me. Eventually, the hate turned to bargaining and later depression.

"You will most likely go through the same thing, but one thing you need to remember. You have Quin to live for. Don't shut down; continue living for him. If I see you starting to shut down, or shut us out of your life, I'm going to do something about it. I won't let you push us away. Understand?"

I nodded and closed my eyes for the trip home.

LS~LS~LS~LS~LS~LS~

I opened the front door coming face to face with my in-laws; Mariela and Mateo.

"Mom. Dad. Come in, please."

They walked in the living room and sat down. Ram had Quin in his arms as he came to see who showed up. "Mr. and Mrs. Santos, it is good to see you, although I wish it were under better circumstances."

"Ryan, good to see you, too, son." Mateo stood and shook Ram's hand. I must have had a look of shock on my face, because Ram turned to me and smiled.

"What? Did you really think my mother named me Ram?" he laughed.

I had to laugh, the first laugh in weeks. "Um, no. But, I just don't picture you as a Ryan either." I took Quin from him and sat on the couch next to Mariela.

"Would you like to hold him?" She nodded and took Quin from my arms.

"What is his full name, Stephanie? All Ricardo told us when he called was that you had a baby boy and named him Quin." Mariela was playing with Quin's fingers as she stared at him.

"I'm sorry. I meant to call you myself, but with all that is going on, I've been somewhat lost lately. His full name is Joaquin Mateo Santos. He was five pounds two ounces and seventeen and a half inches."

"It's a beautiful name for a beautiful little boy." She leaned down and kissed his head. "I'm sure Lester would approve."

"Thank you. Can I get you anything to drink or eat?"

Mateo sat down on the other side of Mariela and looked at Quin. "No dear. We are fine."

"Where are you bags?"

Mateo looked up at me and smiled. "We are staying at a hotel, sweetheart."

"No, that is nonsense. I have plenty of room here, Ram and Bobby can bunk together for a few days or one of them can go back to RangeMan."

"No, Stephanie. We are fine in the hotel. We don't want to be a bother." Mariela handed Quin to Mateo and took my hand in hers.

"Stephanie, we love you like a daughter, not a daughter-in-law. Please, don't think we don't want to stay here with you, we do. But, we also know you have a lot going on right now. Dealing with the death of you husband, having a newborn in the house, trying to get your life back on track and everything else. We are here to help you, but we don't want to intrude. Let us stay a few nights at the hotel, then after the memorial, if you want us to stay here, we will be more than happy to.

"Please don't think that we don't want to be around you or Quin. We do. But you have Ryan and Robert here with you and I know they are a huge help to you."

I nodded. Somehow what she was saying made sense to me. As much as I loved Lester's parents, I wasn't sure I was ready to have them in my house full time right now.

Mateo looked at me with a sad expression. "Steph, when and where is the memorial?"

"Well, I hope you won't be upset, but I've decided not to do the memorial at a church. I plan on having it at RangeMan."

"I think that is a wonderful idea, Steph. RangeMan and all the guys were such a big part of Lester's life. Before you came along, they were all he had out here. He never was much of a religious person, so I think RangeMan is perfect.

"Do you need any help?" Mariela asked.

"No thanks. I have most of it taken care of. Ella helped with the food and drinks, the guys have all helped set up chairs and tables. I've picked out a bunch of pictures of Lester to set around. I know a few of the guys said they have planned something special. If there is anything you want to add, feel free."

We spent the rest of the evening talking and spending time together. It was so different with Lester's parents than it was with my mother. My daddy joined us for dinner and got to know my in-laws. They all seemed to get along just fine and Mateo and Daddy were talking about fishing, canoeing, and camping with them and Quin. I think I just lost my son during summer months when he is older.

"Well, sweetheart. I think Mariela and I should head to the hotel. What time should we be at RangeMan tomorrow?"

I stood up and walked my guests to the door. "The memorial is set to start around eleven a.m. I'll probably get there around ten to make sure everything is set up." I hugged Mateo and Mariela.

I took Quin from my daddy before he left and put him in his bassinet by my bed and took a quick shower. Once I was dried off and dressed in my t-shirt and panties, I crawled in bed, curled up with Lester's pillow, and drifted off to sleep dreaming of my husband once again.


	47. A Day for Lester

_I wanted to take a moment and thank Margaret Fowler, litlhulc, janetfan150, EEG, and Anon2329 for their reviews of the last chapter. _

**My New Life  
>A Day for Lester<br>SapphireJ**

I had woken up early and was showered and dressed before Quin woke up. I was working on my only cup of coffee when I heard the cries that I'd begun to love. I walked into Quin's room and saw him lying there crying. When I picked him up, he curled in my neck and quieted down.

After I had him changed, I began nursing him. I loved the alone time with him. "Hey there, baby boy. Today is a big day. You are going to hear a lot of people talking about your daddy. There will be pictures of your daddy as well." I raised his little hand and kissed his fingers, just staring at him as he finished nursing.

When Quin was done, I dressed him in the RangeMan onsie and placed him in his carrier. Ram came downstairs dressed in his RangeMan black uniform, followed by Bobby.

"Bomber, you okay today?"

I walked over to Bobby and hugged him. "I'm doing okay for now. You?" He nodded.

"Steph, I'll take Quin out and get him situated. Do you have his bag?" I looked around and pointed to the door. I had set it there last night, making sure it was packed with diapers and extra clothes.

Ram took Quin out and I stayed to talk with Bobby for a minute. "Hey, it's just us now. Are you really doing okay, Bobby?"

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back as far as it would go. I heard him inhale deeply before he answered. "I just need to get through today and I'll be fine, Steph." I could hear his voice about to crack and knew he was fighting tears. I put my arms around his waist and hugged him. After a few seconds, I felt his arms slip around me and his body started to shake.

I heard the door open and then quietly shut. I hoped Ram stayed outside and gave us a few minutes. Bobby's body finally stopped shaking and he pulled back from me. "I'm sorry for losing it, Steph."

"Hey, don't you apologize for mourning your best friend. We all need to do this. Listen to me, if you ever need to talk, please do it. If not to me, then to someone else. Please?"

He nodded his head, wiped his eyes and grabbed his sunglasses. We went out to the SUV, climbed in, and made the drive in silence.

When we reached the conference room, I was stunned. There were pictures of Lester all over the walls. Some were pictures I'd never seen and some were taken since I'd known the guys. Lester never looked more handsome than he did in his full dress uniform.

"Look Quin, all these pictures are of your daddy." As I walked around the room, I noticed there were captions under the pictures. All the sudden, I noticed a slideshow playing and heard "Some Gave All" by Billy Ray Cyrus start playing. I stood in awe and watched the slide show. Pictures of a very young Lester just entering boot camp appeared. From there, the pictures progressed through every stage of his career, including some of the guys on different missions as the songs switched between "Some Gave All", "God Bless the USA", "American Soldier", and "Have You Forgotten."

Mariela and Mateo came up behind me and watched. Mateo took Quin from my arms as I started sobbing and shaking. Mariela wrapped her arms around me and we rocked, holding each other and crying.

When I looked up, I noticed that a lot more people had shown up, Connie, Lula, Daddy, Grandma, Mary Lou, Lenny, Costanza, Gazarra, Big Dog, Vinny, Eagle, Raven, Andi, and a few others. One by one, everyone came up, gave me a hug, kissed Quin's head and offered condolences.

When we were all seated, Ranger stepped up to the podium and began his speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you all for being here today. Today, we celebrate the life of a son, brother, husband, father and friend, Lester Mateo Santos. Lester touched the heart and soul of every person in this room in one way or another.

"I've known Lester all my life. Had we not been cousins, I'm sure we still would have been best friends. Growing up with Les was an adventure all in itself. We use to get into some serious shit when we were younger. One day, I think we must have been around fourteen or fifteen, we'd gotten in trouble and Tio Mateo said he'd had enough. He told us that if we didn't straighten out, that when we turned eighteen he was going to march us to the recruiting center and sign us up.

"Les and I didn't believe him and we didn't change our way. Drugs, alcohol, petty crime, you name, we did it. Well, on our eighteenth birthday, Tio Mateo told us he was taking us somewhere. We thought it was a surprise and were all for it, so we hopped in his car and didn't pay attention to where we were going.

"He pulled into a parking spot, jerked our asses out of the car and marched us into a building. Les and I about shit our pants when we saw a recruiting officer staring at us. Tio Mateo kept his promise and signed us up for the Army. Man, we were pissed at him at first. But, once we made it through basic, we found we kind of like it.

"We stayed in and a few years later, we were approached for the Ranger's program. That is where we met Tank and Bobby. The four of us were unstoppable and became the best of the best, friends and brothers.

"If I ever had a problem and just needed to talk, Les was there to listen. If I ever needed someone to slap me upside the head, Lester was more than willing. I'm going to miss you Lester; my cousin, my friend, my brother."

Ranger stepped down and I could see his eyes were glassy. He came over to Mariela and Mateo, hugged them both and thanked Mateo for all he had done for Ranger and Lester.

One by one everyone else took the podium to say a few words about Lester. When Bobby went up, the room went silent. Everyone knew Bobby and Lester had been partners and this was hard on him as well.

Bobby cleared his throat and tried speaking. "Like Ranger said, Les and I met in the Army. He and I hit it off the first day and I knew then that we'd be great friends. He saved my ass a few times; so of course, I had to return the favor.

"I use to believe that we'd grow old alone and not have anyone to share our lives with. Not many women can handle our type of lifestyle. However, Lester proved me wrong again. I remember the first night he met Stephanie, he told me that night that he was going to marry her someday. I couldn't believe that Les was talking marriage, but the more I got to know Steph and see them interact, I knew he had found his love…his soul mate.

"Les and I got out of the Army at the same time and came to help Ranger start up his business. When asked about partnering up, there was no hesitation. I knew who I wanted watching my back. I never thought there'd come a time when I didn't have his back. Les, man, I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to cover your back.

"But, I promise you this, I'll make sure to have your wife and son's back. No one will hurt them, I promise you. I won't let you down again, my friend."

Bobby walked away from the podium and I saw him coming to me. I handed Quin to Mariela and stood to embrace Bobby. For the second time in a day, I held him as his body shook. After a few minutes, I heard Bobby whispering to me. "I'm so sorry, Steph. I should have had his back. It should have been me instead."

I pulled back from Bobby, looked at him, and placed my hand on his face. "Listen to me, Bobby. You have nothing to be sorry for. Lester and Vince were called in, not you. You couldn't have protected him. I don't blame you, and no else does. You cannot blame yourself. Do you hear me?"

I saw him nod just before he pulled me closer for another hug. We stood there until Bobby was under control, then he took a seat as I headed to the podium.

I stopped and looked at the slideshow on the wall for a moment to gather my thoughts. As I stepped up and looked out, I saw just how many peoples' lives Lester had touched in some way.

"I want to thank you all for being here today. While I still wish my husband were here and we were not doing this, I hope that this will allow everyone, myself included, the closure needed to move on.

"When I came back to Trenton a few years ago, I was at the bonds office asking my cousin for a job and talking with the girls. I turned around and literally ran into Lester. He took me on a stake out with him and Bobby and showed me the ropes. I can't tell you how many nights he and I spent talking until two or three in the morning.

"I had some problems in the beginning, fears of things really, and Les helped me get over them. He never judged me, never told me that I was doing a man's job, never told me that I couldn't do it. He always supported me, encouraged me and helped me if I needed it.

"The day Lester asked me to marry him was one of the happiest days of my life. I never knew love like I shared with him; unconditional and given freely. The day I told Les he was going to be a daddy, is a day I'll never forget. He was so happy; he wanted to sky-write it. I just wish he had the chance to get to see his son.

"His son…Joaquin Mateo Santos; Quin for short, has been my saving grace. If it were not for Quin, I don't think I'd be here today. The day that Ranger, Tank and Bobby showed up on my doorstep, I knew what they were going to say. I wanted to die that day. Hell, to be honest with myself, I've wanted to die every day since then.

"How does one go on without their soul mate? How do I let go of the hatred I have for Les for leaving me to raise our son alone? How do I let go of the hatred for the men who took my husband from me? I think I found my answer. All I have to do is look down at Quin and he makes it easier. Knowing I need to be here for him, to teach him about his father, to let him know that his daddy loved him very much and to raise him the way Les would want; that has helped me to let go of some of my anger.

"I miss my best friend, lover and husband. Do you hear me Lester? I miss you. I fucking miss you so damn much, it hurts like hell. I want to wake up from this nightmare and see you in bed next to me. I want to feel your arms hold me. I want you to sneak up on me and make me scream in surprise.

"I just want at least one more day with you to tell you how much you really mean to me, how much I truly love you and how much you've changed my life. I just want at least one more day. Is that too much to ask?"

I was crying hard and felt arms come around me before I collapsed to the floor. I vaguely remember being carried out of the conference room and to the elevator. I just remember thinking _one more fucking day, please!_


	48. Let the Healing Begin

**My New Life  
>Let the Healing Begin<br>****SapphireJ**

_Not mine, just messing around. I promise this chapter is not as emotionally charged as the last few. Thank you to Margaret Fowler, Reddnrad, First Generation Scot, FutureFemaleCSI, FairTaxGirl, Janetfan150, and Rebecca Bell for their review of the previous chapter. You are the best!_

* * *

><p>I woke up to the feeling of the bed dipping down. When I opened my eyes, I saw Bobby sitting there staring at me.<p>

"Hey." My voice was rough, probably from all the crying I'd been doing.

"Hey there, Steph. How are you feeling?" Bobby asked with worry in his eyes.

Thinking for a moment, I finally answered, "Hmm, mentally or physically? What happened…how'd I get here?"

Bobby stretched out beside me on his back, pulled me to him, and began rubbing my back. "What do you remember?"

"I remember talking about Les…about how I needed to be here to raise Quin. Shit, Bobby, where's Quin?" I started to panic because my son wasn't near me.

"Relax, Steph." Bobby held me tighter to him so I couldn't get up. "He's on seven with Ranger, Ram, Tank, and your in-law's. He's fine."

I relaxed when I knew he was safe, and laid my head on Bobby's shoulder. "So…tell me what happened?"

I heard and felt Bobby take a deep breath. "You started crying and screaming. I saw your body start to shake and knew you were about to go down. Luckily, Hal saw it and was there before you hit the floor. He carried you up here and put you to bed. I've been here checking on you from time to time."

Closing my eyes I asked, "How long have I been here?"

I felt Bobby's hand rubbing back and forth on my back and it was starting to soothe me back to sleep. "For almost two hours. I figure Quin is probably getting hungry, so I wanted to wake you up, and talk to you for a minute."

I heard the hesitation in his voice. _Oh, this can't be good._ "What?"

"I'm taking a few days off and getting out of here. I need a break away from everything, time to just think. Ram will stay at the house still, and I've asked Binkie to stay there when Ram is gone."

"Bobby, I'll be fine. I don't need someone to stay with me." I leaned up on my elbow and looked at him. "Are you going to be okay?"

I saw the tell tale signs of exhaustion on his face. Bobby smiled at me, leaned up, kissed my forehead, and lay back down. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to rest my eyes for a few. Get me up when you're ready to go get Quin."

After kissing his forehead, I got up and used the restroom. When I went back to the bedroom, Bobby was out cold. Instead of waking him up, I covered him and let him get some rest; he really needed it. I headed upstairs to see my son.

I got off the elevator, knocked on the door, and waited. I heard the locks tumbled and saw Ram open the door. He stepped aside, let me in, and gave me a hug. "You doing okay now?" he quietly asked.

I nodded and looked into the living room. I saw Ranger sitting there holding Quin and rubbing his back. I walked in and everyone looked up at me.

Mateo came over, hugged me, and held me while I cried. I finally got myself under control when I heard Quin cry. I looked up at Mateo and tried to smile. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Steph. We all know how hard this is on you," he said as he hugged me before letting me go.

I walked towards Ranger and when I got close, he stood up, offered me his chair, and handed me Quin.

"He's been sleeping until about five minutes ago. I changed him and was about to call down to Bobby to see about getting him fed."

"Thanks, Ranger. I appreciate you taking care of him." I kissed Quin's head and looked back at Ranger. "Bobby is passed out on four. He had lain down while I got ready, and when I went back in the bedroom, he was sound asleep. I figure he needs it."

"Steph, can I get you something to drink or eat?" Mariela was heading to the kitchen and stopped by my chair on the way.

"I could use some food, but let me get Quin fed first." I looked up at Ranger, "Would you mind if I used the chair in your bedroom?"

"No, go ahead. Whatever makes you comfortable." Ranger helped Quin and I up and walked us to his room. "How are you really, Steph?"

I saw the concern in his eyes. "Seriously, I'm getting better. I'm just taking it one day at a time. That's all I can do right now."

Ranger smiled at me, touched Quin's nose, and turned to walk out. "I'll shut the door. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, Ranger."

When Quin was done nursing, I went back out to the living room. Everyone was still there talking.

"Ram, could you run downstairs and get Quin's portable crib, please? I don't want to put him in his carrier to sleep all the time."

Ranger took my shoulders and turned me to face towards his office. I saw the portable crib, a swing, and some blankets on the floor. "Already taken care of, Steph."

"What? How? Why?" I was at a loss for words.

"Stephanie, he's my godson. Of course I'm going to have some things here for him. I hope that when he gets a little older, you'll allow me to keep him from time to time."

I put Quin in the portable crib, covered him with a light blanket, and went to the couch and sat next to Mariela and Ram. Mateo brought me a sandwich and water.

"Thank you. I'm hungrier than I realized." We all sat around talking and I finally started to relax and unwind some. I felt myself letting go of some of the anger I had. I don't know if it was the memorial or the fact that I was talking with people about anything but Lester. Part of me felt ashamed that I wasn't talking about him, but another part was okay with that.

Ram stood up and looked at his watch. "I'm going to head down to four and see if Bobby is staying here tonight or going back to your place, Steph."

"Oh, I forgot," I told them as Ram turned to the door. "Bobby said he was taking off for a few days. Said he needed some time away to think and clear his head."

I saw Ram and Ranger look at me. "You sure he said he was taking off for a few days? Just to think?" Ranger seemed concerned.

Nodding, I replied, "Yes, that's what he said. Why?"

"Ram, go check on him. See if he is still here." Ram was out the door before Ranger finished.

"Ranger, what's going on?" I turned and saw him reaching for his phone.

"Yo. Is Brown in the building?... fuck… when?... trackers?... shit… no, I'll let you know." Ranger closed his phone and turned toward the rest of us.

"Bobby left the building about thirty minutes ago, he's turned off his phone and GPS on his truck." Ranger ran his hand through his hair.

"Ranger, why does it matter if he turned stuff off? He said he wanted a few days alone." I still didn't understand the problem.

"Steph, he just lost his best friend, he feels like it is his fault Lester is gone. I just don't want him alone right now." Ranger walked to the window and looked down at the street.

_Shit. How fucking stupid can I be?_ _Of course Ranger and the guys would be worried about Bobby losing it._ "Any idea where he might have gone?"

Ranger shook his head and sat down. I sat down on the couch and tried to think. I grabbed my phone and called Binkie.

"Talk."

"Hey, it's Steph. Do you know where Bobby went?" He hesitated for a minute and I could tell he knew. "Binkie, please?"

"All I know is he mentioned possibly going home for a few days. That's all he said," Binkie whispered.

"Thanks, Binkie. Oh, and if you don't want to come over, you don't have to. I'll be fine and I told Bobby that as well."

"Steph, if you need me there, I'll be there."

"No, it's fine. Ram will be there, and Raven just lives a few doors down. Thanks for the info, Binkie." I hung up and looked at Ranger. The door opened and Ram came in.

"He's gone," Ram said. "Packed up the rest of the clothes he had here in the apartment."

"We know." Ranger stood up and looked over at Quin. "He turned off his cell and GPS."

"Binkie said Bobby mentioned about going home for a few days." I hoped that was good thing.

Ram sat down and sighed. "If he really goes home it will be okay. But honestly, he hasn't been home in over eight years."

I picked my phone back up and dialed Bobby's number. "Leave a message."

"Bobby, call me when you get this. I don't care what time it is. I just want to make sure you are okay."

I closed the phone and leaned my head back against the couch. When would this nightmare end? Why couldn't life just get back to normal?


	49. More Babies

Thank you to Margaret Fowler, EEG, First Generation Scot, Reddnrad, Rebecca Bell, Janetfal150, Jwarden, FairTaxGirl, Anon2329 for the reviews. I appreciate them very much! I hope you enjoy this next chapter as well.

**My New Life  
>More Babies<br>SapphireJ**

It had been three days since Bobby took off and no one had heard from him. I'd been leaving him a message a day just asking him to call me and let me know he was okay.

I was in the kitchen when Andi and Raven came in. "Hey, One Shot. How are you today?"

I gave Raven and Andi a hug and rubbed Andi's belly. "I'm good. I really am. I think the memorial helped kind of cement things for me. I'm worried about Bobby now, but I'm getting better."

Andi looked at me and then at Rave and I saw something in her look. "Andi, are you okay?"

"Ummm, well. We think I'm in labor," Raven said as I saw her face begin to cringe.

"Holy shit woman, what are you doing here? You are having twins you should be at the hospital!"

"Well, we weren't sure if it is really labor or not. Thought we'd ask you since you've been through it recently." Andi looked worried and then she doubled over and yelled.

"Raven, get the truck. RAAAAM!"

Ram ran into the kitchen with a gun in his hand. "Steph, what's wrong?" He looked over at Andi and knew. "Shit, let's go."

Raven and Ram got Andi in the truck and took off. I called RangeMan and let the guys know that Ram was going to be late and then went to check on Quin.

Quin was curled up asleep in his pj's and sucking his thumb. He looked so cute, that I hot the camera and took a few pictures. Since he was still sleeping, I figured I would upload the pictures to the computer and look at them.

While looking at the pictures, I realized that the camera had not been used in months. Some of the pictures on there were of me and Lester before he left for his last mission. We were at The Black River Inn for Valentine's Day and Lester had asked the waitress to take a picture of us. We were both smiling, he had his arm around me, and you could see the love we both felt.

I put some photo paper in the printer, printed that picture, framed it, and decided to hang it up on Quin's room. He needed a picture of his mommy and daddy in there. Shortly after I printed the picture, Quin woke up.

"Hey there, little guy. How are you this morning?" I tickled his belly before I picked him up. After he was changed and dressed, we sat in the chair so he could nurse.

"I have a surprise for you. I found a picture of me and your daddy that I had forgotten about. I printed it and will hang it up in your room so you can see your daddy every day. How's that sound?" He looked at me and blinked. "I take that as a yes."

Quin and I were doing tummy time on the living room floor when my phone rang. "Hello?"

"They're here. The twins are here. Oh man, I'm a Daddy…to two babies. Oh my God, One Shot, they are beautiful."

"Raven, calm down. How is everyone doing?" I was holding Quin and laughing at Raven. He sounded like he was over the moon.

"Boy and girl. Everyone is perfect. Twenty fingers, twenty toes, four eyes, two noses. They are beautiful." Raven took a deep breath and I could hear the tears in his eyes. "Stephanie, I just can't believe I have a son and a daughter."

"Rave, do you two have names yet?" I asked since I'd not heard of any names yet.

"Yes. Shiloh Andrea Seneca and Mika Scott Seneca Jr. Steph, I can't believe it. I need to go, need to check on Andi and the babies."

"Okay, Rave. Thanks for calling and letting me know. Give everyone a hug and kiss for me. Congratulations to you and Andi. I'll come see everyone later."

Ram came home just as I laid Quin down for his nap. "Hey, Ram."

"Hiya, Steph. How's Quin?" Ram looked down in the crib and touched Quin's head.

"He's good. I just changed and fed him." We walked out of his room and closed the door. "Would you mind watching him for an hour or so? I'd like to go see Andi and the babies."

"Of course. Go ahead. I'll keep an ear out for him. Do you have a bottle in the fridge if he wakes up while you're gone?" he asked as we walked through the living room.

"Yes. I pumped earlier today, so it is a fresh bottle. Just heat it up in hot water, NOT the microwave." I hugged Ram and kissed his cheek.

"Yes, Ma'am. I learned my lesson the last time," he replied with a red tint to his cheeks.

"Thank you. I'll be back soon."

I took the truck and headed to the hospital. I found the maternity ward and asked for Andi's room. The nurse started to give me a hard time, but Raven stepped up.

"One Shot!" He came over and gave me a big hug.

"Hey Daddy. Where is everyone? I want to see them."

Raven led me to Andi's room. "When I left, she was sleeping. The twins are rooming in with her and I'm staying the night to help her out."

We walked in the room and I saw two bassinettes next to Andi's bed. I looked in one and it was empty…both babies were in one bassinette.

"Oh Rave, they are so cute." Both babies had a head full of wavy jet black hair.

Raven picked up a baby and put it in my arms. "Here, this is Shiloh." I looked down at her and watched her stretch and yawn.

"Oh Rave, she is just absolutely beautiful." I looked at the baby Raven was holding and he was just as beautiful. Shiloh started to fuss, so I rocked her back and forth.

"She misses Mika, that's why she's fussing. We discovered that earlier today. If either of them is fussing and not near each other, we put them together and they stop. Watch." Raven stood up with Mika and walked over to me. As soon as Mika and Shiloh could touch hands, she quieted down.

"Wow. That is amazing." I was mesmerized by these two little brand new lifes.

"That's why we put them both in one bassinette. The books said it might be like that, since there were with each other for nine months."

We laid both Shiloh and Mike back in the bassinette and covered them. Andi was still sleeping, so we sat in the corner where we wouldn't disturb them.

"Any news on Bobby yet?" Raven asked as I closed my eyes.

"No. He's not returned any of my calls. I'm starting to get worried. I just wish I knew he was okay."

Raven grabbed my hand and squeezed. "He'll be fine. He can take care of himself and he knows better than to do anything stupid."

"So did Les and look what still happened." I sighed and squeezed Raven's hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go there. This is a happy day."

"Steph?" We looked over to the bed and saw Andi looking at us. I jumped up, walked over, and gave her a hug.

"Congratulations, Andi. They are absolutely beautiful babies."

"Thanks. I was hoping you'd be able to make it up here to see them today. Where's Quin?"

Smiling, I told her, "He's at home with Uncle Ram."

I stayed and talked with Andi and Raven a little longer, but realized it was time for me to get home. I'd been gone two hours without realizing it.

I pulled into my garage and killed the engine. I walked in the house and saw Ram sitting on the floor playing with Quin.

"How's my little man?" I sat on the floor next to them and noticed the empty baby bottle.

"He's good. He's got a full tummy, had a bath, clean diaper, and is wide awake for now." Ram kissed his head and handed him to me. He really loved taking care of Quin and I.

"How are Andi, Raven and the twins?" Ram asked as he took the bottle to the kitchen for cleaning.

"They are well. Andi's staying tonight and most likely tomorrow night. I want to bake some food for them so they won't have to worry about it for a few days. Just like everyone did for me when Quin was born." I blew on Quin's cheek and he batted at my face.

"Sounds good to me. I know Ella wanted to cook some for them as well."

Ram came back in and sat next to us, offering me a water bottle. I heard the locks tumble and the door open. Looking up, I was in shock as I saw him walk through the door looking completely lost.

I laid Quin down on the floor and jumped up. "Holy Shit!"


	50. Time Marches On

**My New Life  
>Time Marches On<br>SapphireJ**

_Thank you to all that have left reviews: Margaret Fowler, Reddnrad, Jaylynn26, Rebecca Bell, EEG, First Generation Scot, Wanttowrite, FairTaxGirl! I appreciate it. If you know them from the books, they aren't mine ;)_

Eagle came walking in, dragging Bobby with him. "Misplace someone recently, One Shot?"

I jumped up and stood there, staring. "Bobby. What the hell happened to you?"

Bobby had a black eye, stitches in his left cheek, and above his right eye, and his lip was split and swollen.

Shrugging, he replied, "Got carried away." Bobby limped over to the couch and plopped down.

"Bobby, where have you been? I've been calling you since you left. Why didn't you return my calls?" I was pissed and he knew it. Ram took Quin up to his room so he wasn't around the yelling.

"Steph, I just needed some time away to clear my head."

"Yeah, looks like you accomplished that real well. What did you do, clear your brain out of your head? Damn it, Bobby. You can't go out getting into fights. I can't lose you too!"

Eagle sat down on the couch next to Bobby and shook his head. "She's right, you know. You can't be out there starting fights and shit. One of these days you're going to find someone who is bigger and stronger than you."

I looked over at Eagle; he looked exhausted. "Where have you been, Eagle? Where did you find Bobby?"

"He was in Newark. I was out at the local bar having a drink when a fight broke out. I got up to check it out and noticed Brown here getting his face bashed in. Got him out of there, took him to the hotel to get cleaned up, and brought him here."

Eagle stood up to leave and looked at Bobby one last time. "You need to keep it together man. I know you just lost your best friend, but you still have others counting on you." Eagle gave me a hug and left.

I looked at Bobby and sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

Bobby stood up, came over to me, and wrapped his arms around me. "I'm sorry, Steph. I really needed to get away for a few days. I didn't plan on drinking and getting into a fight." He kissed my head and pulled back. "Am I still welcome here?"

"Yes, but I want to know what happened. And, no more taking off, okay?'

"Okay." Bobby took a breath and hung his head down. "I guess after the memorial, it kind of all set in. I realized that Les was really gone, and not coming back. I needed to get away. I ended up in Newark and spent some time in a hotel."

"Tonight, I wanted to get out, so I hit a bar. Some asshole kept hitting on the waitress, grabbing her ass, calling her names, shit like that. She'd told him multiple times to back off and leave her alone. He didn't and when he grabbed her ass again, I lost it."

"I jumped up, and pulled him off the chair and started beating the shit out of him. All of my anger and frustrations were coming out while I punched him. He got a few good shots in, too, as you can see. I was about to punch him again when I was pulled off him. I looked up, ready to swing on the person that took me away, and I saw Eagle."

"I'm so sorry, Steph. I know I should have been here for you and Quin, but I needed a few days away."

I looked at Bobby and smiled a small smile. "Hey, it's okay. We all need to deal with this in our own way, but no more running out, okay?" He nodded. "Hey, have you even checked in with Kennedy?"

Bobby ran his hand over his face. "I called her the other night, when I was drunk, she got pissed, told me not to call her again, and hung up on me. She's not taking any of my calls right now. I guess I fucked up good, huh?"

"I'll talk to her tomorrow. Why don't you go crash for the night, you look exhausted."

Bobby stood, pulled me up, hugged me tight, and kissed my head. "Night, Steph. Again, I'm sorry."

Bobby went to his room and turned in for the night. I went to Quin's room and saw Ram sitting in the rocking chair, Quin on his chest, and both were sleeping. I took Quin off Ram's chest and laid him in his crib. I thought about waking Ram up, but decided instead to cover him up and leave him be.

After taking a shower, I crawled in bed and told Les goodnight. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

LSLSLSLSLSLS

The next month went by fast. Bobby and Ram were back to work full time while I was staying at home taking care of Quin. Everyone kept telling me I didn't need to go back to work, that Les' money would keep me and Quin comfortable for many, many years. However, I needed to get back to work soon.

Ella told me that she'd sit Quin while I worked and Ranger had stuff available in his apartment for us to use. He had hired some new guys, so I had to give up the apartment that I'd been using from time to time; Les' apartment. I knew the guys he hired were to replace Les and Vince, but I didn't let myself think about it.

I walked onto the fifth floor and everyone was instantly quiet. Tank came over and wrapped me in a bear hug. "Hey there, Steph. Welcome back."

"Thanks, Big Guy. My office still here or have I been moved due to lack of work?"

Tank laughed and walked me back towards my office. When I opened the door, I stood there in shock. My office had been re-done. I now had a playpen, baby toys, changing table, and a rocking chair. I also noticed pictures on my walls. Someone had been using photo-shop and I had tears in my eyes.

Above the new "baby area" on the wall, was a picture of Quin in my hands with me smiling at him. Someone photo-shopped Lester into the picture so that he was looking down on both of us with a smile. I'd have to find out who did that and thank them.

Tank looked down at me, and wiped a tear from my cheek. "Hey, are you going to be okay with the pictures, or should I have them taken down?"

"No, I'll be fine. It just shocked me seeing Lester in a picture with Quin and I. Who did it?"

"I could tell you, but he'd deny it." I knew then who had done it.

"Can you keep an eye on Quin for a minute?"

Tank nodded and took Quin from my arms. "Hey there Quinny. Come see your Uncle Tank."

I walked down the hall, and knocked on his door.

"Enter"

I walked in, shut the door behind me, and sat in one of his chairs just waiting.

"Something you need?" I nodded, but didn't speak. "What?"

I just stared at him. I knew if I stared long enough, he'd break, and start talking. He tried to stare me out, but he ended up looking away first.

"You know?" I nodded. "Are you upset? Should I take it down?"

"No. I like it, and I wanted to thank you, Ranger. But, I also wanted to know why?"

"I was messing around with some pictures for Julie the other day and decided to try something new. I did a similar picture for her and liked how it turned out. So I found the picture of you and Quin and looked for a decent picture of Lester smiling and stuck it in there. I liked how it turned out, so I had a larger one done for your office. "

I stood up, walked around his desk, and gave him a quick hug. "Thank you, Ranger. That is the best gift anyone has given me in a long time." I walked over to the door, and was about to open it when he stopped me.

"Steph?" I turned around, and looked at him. "Welcome back."

I smiled at him, and opened the door. "Thanks. It's good to be back."

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><p><em>AN: This story is drawing to an end... only a handful more chapters before the end. Thank you to all the new readers and the previous readers who stuck with me for a second go at this story. Just to let you know, I"m writing my own original books that I hope to have up for sale (as e-books) in the next month or two. Once my website is up and running, I'll let you all know!_


	51. Chapter 51

_Welcome to Tart Thursday... did you think I'd forgotten? Before we get to the next chapter, I'd like to thank Margaret Fowler, Reddnrad, FairTaxGirl, EEG, Rebecca Bell, First Generation Scot, Janetfan150 and Angela3511 for their wonderful reviews of the last chapter. I hate to say this, but there is only about 3 more chapters until the end..._

My New Life  
>8 Months Later<br>SapphireJ

I woke up to Quin calling me. "Momma, Momma, Momma." I love that he is talking now. Quin is nine months old, crawling, talking, laughing, and trying to walk.

He looks more and more like Lester each day. The guys and I have made sure that Quin knows who his daddy is. We all show him pictures, and tell him stories. I can show Quin a picture and he will point out Lester and say, "Dada. My dada."

I got out of bed and went to Quin. He was standing in his crib bouncing up and down. When he saw me, his hands reached up in the air and he laughed. "Up, Momma. Up." I lifted him up, and hugged him. He, in return, gave me one of his patented wet baby kisses and giggled. "Papa."

I turned around and saw my daddy standing in the door. "Morning, Pumpkin." He kissed my head and reached for Quin. "Morning, Joaquin." Daddy looked back at me, and smiled a little. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine." Today was the one year anniversary since Lester left for his last mission. February sixteenth would forever be a remembrance day for me. It was the last day I saw and talked to my husband. "I still miss him, but I try to only remember the good things."

Quin started squirming so Daddy sat him down on the floor. He immediately crawled over to his toybox and found his plastic photo book. I had filled it up with five pictures of Lester and the one picture of Quin and I that Ranger had photo-shopped Lester into.

Quin opened his book and started talking. "Dada. My dada." He flipped through all the pictures and stopped on the last one. "Momma, Dada, Me."

"That's right, Quin. You, mommy and daddy."

Quin crawled back over to my dad and raised his arms. "Up, papa."

My dad picked him up, and flew him around the room. Quin squealed with delight. I left the two alone and headed downstairs to get breakfast ready. When I reached the kitchen, I froze. Standing in my kitchen was Bobby, Ram, Tank, Ranger, Eagle, Panther, Raven, Andi, and the twins.

"Um, what the hell is going on?" I started to get nervous, and they could tell.

"Nothing, Steph. We just wanted to make sure you were doing okay today." Ram came over, and gave me a big hug.

"I'm fine guys. Thank you."

"Where is my Godson?" Ranger was looking towards the living room waiting to see Quin crawl over to him.

"He's upstairs with Papa." Just then I heard a squeal that can only be described as Quin.

Daddy put Quin down on the floor, and Quin took off for Ranger. He grabbed Ranger's pant leg and started tugging on it. Ranger bent down, picked him up, and mussed his hair. "So little guy, are you spending the day with me?"

I looked at Ranger with confusion. "You didn't mention taking him today. Something up?"

"No, I just feel like taking the day off and spending time with my Godson. You are welcome to join us if you like." I thought about it, but decided against it.

"No, I think I should head into the office and get some paperwork done. Do you need anything for him?"

"Just whatever food is his favorite for today. I've already put his carseat in the Cayenne, and before you ask, yes it is facing backwards." Ranger tickled Quin, making him laugh.

I grabbed the bag that is always packed for Quin. Extra diapers, clothes, toys, juice, and his extra photobook. "Here you go. Everything you need should be in there. When are you going to have him home?"

"I'll call you later. Thought we might go see my parents today; they've missed him."

"Okay. Just drive safe with him in the car." I took Quin from Ranger, gave him a hug and kiss, and handed him back.

After breakfast was done, everyone headed out for the day. I rode to the office with Bobby and Ram. They were both living back at RangeMan now, but every once in a while, they'd come stay the night at my house. I think they just liked the pool and basement.

We pulled into RangeMan garage, and headed up to the fifth floor. I walked off the elevator, and it was total silence. "GUYS!" I yelled, I couldn't take it anymore. Everyone came out of hiding, and stood to the side. "I'm fine. Okay? Yes, it has been a year since Lester and Vince left for their last mission, but I'm fine. I've dealt with the fact that they are not coming back."

Binkie came up, and hugged me. "I'm sorry, Steph. We just weren't sure how you'd be today."

"It's fine. I appreciate you all looking out for me, but please, can we treat this as a normal work day?" I started to walk to my office as they guys went back to their work.

I'd been working for three hours and needed to stretch. I made it to the hallway when I heard the talking stop. You could have heard a pin drop on the carpet, it was so quiet. I walked around the corner expecting to see Ranger. I was not ready for what I saw.


	52. The Return

_Thank you to all who read and reviewed the last chapter. You have no idea what it means when I see the reviews. I really appreciate it! Only two more chapters after this one, but once this is done...I'll be re-posting all my other stories that I've taken down. I'll also have my website up and running soon with my original ebooks. _

My New Life  
>The Return<br>SapphireJ

There at the end of the hall, just stepping off the elevator, surrounded by the guys, was Vince. He looked like he had lost a ton of weight and muscle mass. I couldn't help it; I took off running, and jumped into his arms, almost knocking him back in the elevator.

"Oh my God. I can't believe it, you're really here." I had tears falling down my face, but I didn't care. Vince was back, and he was alive. "Lester? Please tell me he is with you."

Vince stood there looking at me with sad eyes, and I knew right away that Lester wasn't there.

"I'm so sorry, Steph. I had hoped he was here. I had hoped he had gotten out in time." Vince hugged me tight to him, and didn't let go for a few minutes.

When he loosed his grip, I pulled back a little. "What happened? Where have you been?"

"Let's go sit. If you want to know the whole story, it's going to take some time." Vince grabbed my hand, and we walked to the break room followed by the rest of the guys who weren't watching the monitors.

Vince sat down as I grabbed us some water bottles. Just as he was about to start talking, I heard a little voice. "Mama." I looked up and saw Ranger standing there with Quin in his arms.

"Shit. I didn't believe it when Junior called me. I had to come see for myself." Ranger handed Quin off to me, Vince stood up, and he and Ranger did a man hug. "Good to have you back, man."

Vince looked over at Quin and smiled. "Damn, he looks just like his daddy." Quin buried his head in my neck, trying to hide from Vince. "Hey there, buddy. What's your name?"

Quin peeked out at Vince, smiled, and tried to tell him. "Kin."

Ella walked into the break room and stopped. "I can't believe it. You really are back." She walked up to Vince, and hugged him tight. "You are much too thin, you need good food. I'll whip something up for you in a few minutes."

Quin had his arms stretched out for Ella, and she took him. "Stephanie, I'll take Quin upstairs with me. He's looking tired and I'm sure you all would like to talk to Vince." I gave Quin a quick kiss on his cheek and sent him off with Ella.

"What is his name?" Vince watched them leave the room before he sat back down.

"Joaquin Mateo. He was born May twenty-first; the day I was told you and Lester had been killed." I felt the tears sliding down my cheeks, but I didn't' try to stop them.

"Stephanie, I'm so sorry. I tried to warn him. I yelled for him to run when I saw the first of the bombs. I swear he was about fifty feet behind me, but when I looked back after the second bomb went off, he wasn't there. I hoped he'd found a different way out."

I saw the tears threatening to spill down Vince's face, and I hugged him tight. "It's not your fault. You did what you could."

"I'm so sorry, Steph. I failed him, and I failed you."

"Vince, no you didn't. Please, don't think I blame you. I don't." Vince's arms held me tightly to him. I was having hard time breathing, but I didn't say anything. A thought occurred to me, and I broke the silence. "Vince. Do your parents know you are alive?" I felt him shake his head. "We need to tell them."

Vince pulled away and sat up. "I know I shouldn't ask this, but…will you go with me?'

"Wouldn't you rather take Ram?"

"I'd rather you, Quin, and Ram went with me." I nodded my head and stood up. Vince reached out and grabbed my arm, stopping me from moving. "Where are you going?"

"I was going to go get Quin so we could head to your parents house." I smiled at him, and he let me go.

Ram came over, and walked to Ella's with me. "Steph, I want you to be careful around Vince, please?"

I looked over at Ram, and rolled my eyes. "Why? Because he's been gone for a year? Ram, I know he's likely to have problems, but I doubt he'd hurt me."

"Steph, please, just be careful until he's been cleared by Bobby. We don't know what he's gone through for the past year, or where his mind is."

We stepped in the elevator, and Ram pushed six for Ella's floor. I stepped in front of him, and hugged him. "Thank you for looking out for Quin and I but I don't think Vince will be a problem."

Ram kissed my head, and sighed. "I hope not." The doors opened, and I saw Ella with Quin. "Momma!"

"There's my big boy." I took Quin from Ella's arms, thanked her, and went to get Vince.

We made it to the garage, and Vince was waiting for us. We took Ram's SUV with me sitting in back with Quin.

"Vince…can you tell us what happened or where you've been for a year?" I wanted to know, but didn't want him to freak out or anything.

"Steph, I spent six months trying to heal from the explosions, and trying to find my way to a checkpoint so I could get picked up. During that time, I was also looking for Santos. I knew what had most likely happened, but I didn't want to believe it."

"Once I made it to a checkpoint where I could get a hold of someone, I had to convince them it really was me. It took about three weeks before someone finally came and got me. After I was picked up, I was taken to Ramstein in Germany. I was there for months letting my wounds heal and getting my strength back. After that, I was debriefed, told that my loved ones all were told I was dead, and that I was basically told that I was done with the government, and shipped back home."

"Why didn't you call anyone while you were in Germany or D.C.?"

Vince looked at me for minute while considering his words. "Would you have wanted a call to tell you that someone you loved and thought was dead, was really alive, but not able to see you just yet?"

I sat there for a minute thinking. "No. I guess not. I'd rather see them face to face."

"Exactly. I didn't want to tell anyone and have them wait to see me for themselves. I figured if I did it this way, then they get over the shock and get to see that I really am alive for themselves." Vince's eyes looked over at Quin, and he got very sad. "I just wish I could have brought his dad with me."

I reached up, grabbed his shoulder, and squeezed. "It's not your fault. I've accepted it and started to move on. I've kept busy with Quin and work. Thanks to the guys help, Quin knows who is daddy is. He can point him out to you in any picture."

We pulled up to Vince's parents' house. Ram got out, and took Quin from his seat. I opened my door, stepped out and waited for Vince to open his door. I saw the front door open, and Vince's mother stood there for a moment.

"Stephanie, Ram. What a wonderful…"

She had to stop because Vince was standing next to me, looking at her. "Vincent?" His mom came running down the sidewalk towards us. She stopped right in front of Vince and held her breath.

"Yes, Mom, it's me. I'm home."

"Dear God, they said you were dead." She slowly raised her hand to Vince's face, afraid if she touched him, he'd vanish.

Vince grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I'm here. I'm alive."

She grabbed Vince and pulled him to her. "I've missed you so much." We all walked into the house and she pulled Vince into the kitchen. Ram and I sat in the living room and let them have their time. I knew if it were me, and Lester had just shown up, I'd want him to myself for a few hours just to hold him and assure myself he was real.

I couldn't imagine what Vince's mother was going through, but I didn't want to intrude on it.

"What're you thinking, Steph?" Ram reached over and grabbed my hand.

"Just thinking how happy I am that Vince is back, but…" I looked down at Quin holding onto the coffee table, walking around it.

"But what, Steph?"

"Is it bad that I wish it would have been Lester stepping off the elevator instead?" I felt the tears slide down my cheeks, and Ram's thumb wipe them off.

"No, it isn't a bad thing. I know you still miss him." Ram pulled me off my side of the couch and settled me in his lap. His arms held me tight while I cried and kept my eyes on Quin.

I closed my eyes for a few minutes and cried. I cried because I still missed Lester so much it hurt, I cried because Vince was home, and mostly I cried because I hated myself for wishing it were Lester and not Vince that stepped off the elevator.

I felt myself being lifted off Ram's lap. When I opened my eyes, I was staring into Vince's. "Steph, don't cry for me, and please don't be sorry for wishing it was Lester. You don't know how many times I've wish he and I could have traded places. He had a wife and child to come home to. I had no one."

"Don't say that. You had your parents and friends. I really am glad you are alive and home, Vince." I kissed his cheek and hugged him. "How'd things go with your mother?"

"She's in shock, but happy. She said Dad is gone until next week sometime, so I'll come see him when he returns." Vince picked up Quin and tickled him. "How about some ice cream and birthday cake?"

I laughed, dried my tears, and nodded my head. That sounded good.


	53. Quin's Birthday

**My New Life  
>Quin's Birthday<br>SapphireJ**

_Not mine, just borrowing to play with. As usual, here is my thanks for the reviews… Reddnrad, Rebecca Bell, Margaret Fowler, First Generation Scot, Danababy1076, FairTaxGirl, Janetfan150 and MsSmith. Thank you all so much!_

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><p>Daddy had taken Quin out of the house for the morning giving Raven, Andi, Vince, Ram, Bobby and I time to get the house set up for the party. I couldn't believe my baby boy was turning one. Where did the time go?<p>

I had the tables all set up and the guys were bringing out the chairs. Ella had made a huge cake for the guests. Chocolate cake with strawberry filling and icing. The cake for Quin was a small chocolate cake with chocolate icing. I could just imagine how messy he is going to get.

"Steph, where do you want the gift table?" Vince brought up another folding table from the basement.

"Set it up by the tree next to the swing set. I think we'll do gifts back there."

Vince walked off with the table to set it up. He'd been back for three months now, and while he has had a few breakdowns, he is doing well. He started back to work for RangeMan and is still seeing a therapist, but he is slowly getting back to 'normal'.

Andi and Raven were tying balloons all over the house and yard. Bobby was filling up the coolers with ice and drinks, and I was trying to get all the food set out for the party.

I had a house full of people. Daddy, Grandma, Ella, Luis, all the Merry Men, Raven, Andi, the twins, Eagle, Panther, Mary Lou, Lenny, the boys, Lula, Connie and some neighborhood kids.

Ram was manning the grill while Bobby was playing with Quin, Mika and Shiloh. Everyone else was either sitting around talking or in the pool. I was walking around with my camera, trying to capture the day. My baby only turns one once and I wanted to remember it.

The kids were all running around trying to capture Uncle Bobby when I heard the doorbell ring. I went inside, and answered the door. There was the UPS man standing there with a huge box. "Delivery for a Joaquin Santos."

"I'm his mother, I'll sign for it." I signed the pad and saw Ranger step up behind me.

"I'll carry it to the back for you, Steph." Ranger lifted the box, and carried it to the back yard with the rest of the gifts.

"Burgers and dogs are done." Ram pulled the food off the grill, and put it all in the dish I had set aside to keep it warm.

The food table was covered with burgers, dogs, potato salad, fruit salad, pasta salad, chips, dip, salsa, buns, condiments, pickles, beans, deviled eggs, cheese, and fresh fruit. We had a table that held the plates, napkins, plasticwear, cups, wet wipes and bowls. Andi had used a five-gallon cooler and made kool-aid for all the kids. We had coolers packed with water, juice, beer and pop.

Quin came waddling over to me smiling. "Happy Birthday big boy. I can't believe you are one already. Where did the year go?" I gave him hugs and kisses, to which he laughed and rubbed them off.

"Eat Momma, eat. Hungy." Quin was pointing to the hot dogs and I could see drool coming out of his mouth. He really did get my love for food.

I sat Quin down next to Ranger, and got a plate of food for him. Once Quin was served, the rest of the people go their food.

Ram came up behind me and wrapped me in his arms. "You did a wonderful job throwing this together, Steph." He kissed my head and I leaned back against him.

"Thank you. You guys have all helped me and Quin so much. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Ram squeezed me tighter, and I knew I had to get away before the tears started. I was trying very hard to make it a happy day, and shed no tears.

Ranger brought me a plate of food, and I sat down on the ground next to Quin. After the kids were done eating, they took off to play in the sandbox while the adults finished.

"Mind if we sit next to you?" I looked up, and saw Vince, Bobby and Ram.

"No, go ahead."

Bobby wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "So, you holding up okay?"

I smiled at him and nodded. "Yeah, better than I thought I would. I guess if I just keep remembering that today is Quin's birthday and nothing else, then I'm fine. It's when I think of what else today is, then the tears start."

Bobby hugged me to him and kissed my head. "We all miss him, Steph."

I heard Quin shriek so I looked up. He was running around the swing set as fast as his chubby little legs would let him. Mika and Shiloh were behind him trying to run as well. I watched to see what they were running from…Ranger was chasing them. I'd never seen Ranger act the way he did around Quin. I think Lester and I made a good decision when we said we wanted Ranger as his Godfather. He is really good with Quin.

"Okay. Listen everyone. Let's get the food cleaned up and then Quin can open presents before the cake."

"Pesant?" Quin stopped running, and looked up at me with his big green eyes.

I picked him up, and swung him around. "Yes, little man. You get presents for your birthday."

Quin started clapping which got Mika and Shiloh to start as well. The guys all cleaned up the plates and made sure all the trash was put up. Andi brought out a big black trash bag and sat down next to the gift table. Vince manned the camera and when all was set, I sat down with Quin and we started opening presents.

The first, from Andi and Raven, was a bouncy horse. Quin wanted to ride it as soon as he opened it, so I let him. I figured why not, he only gets to try things out for the first time once and this was his day.

Quin ended up with a ton of clothes, the bouncy horse, books, movies, and his own blow-up bounce house, from my daddy, Ranger brought over the box that UPS had delivered, and sat it down in front of us.

"This is from me, Quin. I hope you enjoy it." I helped Quin open the box and had to laugh at what was inside. Quin squealed when he saw the picture. Ranger pulled the inner box out and opened it. Quin was now the proud owner of a black Esclade. We put Quin in the driver seat, and loaded up Shiloh and Mika. Quin was driving them around the yard while Vince video taped. I was laughing at my son and enjoyed watching him have so much fun.

Quin zoomed past us and drove up to the back porch. I wasn't paying attention to him, but instead talking with Bobby and Ram about letting Quin drive this around RangeMan, when I heard Quin yell "Daddy."

I looked up to the back porch, and my heart stopped. The most beautiful sight I had ever seen was standing there, reaching out for my son.

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><p><em>Yes Ladies, he's back! Only one more chapter to go... I'm sad to see this end (for the second time), but hope you've enjoyed the journey. Leave me some reviews and I'll be back next Thursday for the final chapter of My New Life! Then after that, I'll be uploading my other stories that I've taken down... so if you're a first time reader and missed them last year, you'll be able to read them soon!<br>_

_Website is almost done! Just waiting on a logo really and then I'll be pretty set to go live! I'll let you know when it's up!_


	54. Chapter 54

**My New Life  
>Welcome Home<br>SapphireJ**

_Thank you to Margaret Fowler, BeautifulBabeForever, Angela Mueller, First Generation Scot, Janetfan150, FairTaxGirl, Danababy1076, MsSmith, Rebecca Bell, and litlhulc for their reviews of the last chapter. I can't believe it, but... Here it is…the last chapter and the epilogue. I hope you enjoyed the story. _

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><p>I dropped my water bottle and took off running for the back porch. By the time I got there, Lester had Quin in one arm, tears rolling down his face, and an arm waiting to wrap around me. I flew into his arm, and hugged him tight. I had no words at that moment; I just wanted to feel my husband's arm around me.<p>

Quin took that moment to let me know who was there. "Momma, Daddy home."

"Yes, baby. Your Daddy is home." Even though I had tears rolling down my face, I couldn't take my eyes off Lester. I was afraid if I did, he'd disappear.

"Baby. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry it took so long to get home." Lester kissed my forehead, eyes, cheeks, and finally my lips. _My God, how I had missed those lips on mine_.

I was suddenly reminded that we had company when I heard a lot of clapping. I rested my head against Lester chest, took a deep breath, and slowly turned around. Everyone was standing there clapping, smiles on their faces, and tears falling down some of them. Vince still had the video camera turned on, and had caught the whole thing.

"Daddy, it my birdday." Lester looked at Quin and then to me.

"Is it?" I nodded.

"He was born a month early. The day I was told you were gone, I went into labor. They tried to stop it, but he wanted out." I smiled at Quin as he squirmed to get down.

"Down daddy. I dibe." Les put him down and watched him go.

"God, I missed so much. I put you through hell. I'm sorry." Lester pulled me to him, and wrapped me up in his arms.

After a few minutes, I heard Ranger address the guests. "Ladies and Gentlemen. I think that this party is going to end a little early. Let's give Les and Steph some alone time." Everyone rushed to clean up the yard, and put things away while I sat on Lester's lap, shocked that he was actually home. The cakes were put in the kitchen for later, the food was put away, the toys put in the garage or the play room, and the clothes were put in the laundry room.

We didn't talk for hours, just sat there holding each other. I'd noticed he had lost a lot of weight, had a lot of new scars, and looked utterly exhausted. But it didn't bother me. He was home and that was all that mattered.

Ranger and Vince walked up to us after everyone had left. Vince stood there just staring at Les, and I could see the pain in his eyes. I stood up and hugged Vince. "It's okay. He's alive, and he's home. Talk to him."

Vince nodded, and wiped his eyes. "Man, it is so fucking good to see you. I thought…I thought I'd lost you, and that I had failed you and your family. It took me six months to get out of there, but I spent every day of those six months looking for some clue you were alive."

Lester stood up, and engulfed Vince in a hug. "You would have never found me, man."

Lester sat back down in the chair, pulled me onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around me. Quin walked over to us and lifted his arms. "Up." Ranger picked Quin up, and sat him on my lap. Just like a dream I had a long time ago, Quin had his head down against my chest, and I had my head on Lester's shoulder. I just hoped this time when I woke up, Les would still be here.

"Les, what happened? Where have you been?" I kissed the top of Quin's head and noticed he had fallen asleep.

Lester ran his hand down Quin's back and sighed. "I was running away from the compound, right behind Vince. Right before the first bomb went off, I was knocked out. When I came to, I was chained up. It took me eight months to escape. When I did finally escape, I ran into a group of Marines on their way to a check-in. I convinced them I was on their side and had been captured. They helped to their check point, called in, let them know they had me, and then two of them stayed with me until I was picked up."

"Once I was picked up, I was taken to Germany. It took me months to heal. I had a lot to recover from. I was dehydrated, I hadn't eaten in God only knows how long, and I had several open wounds that needed to be cleaned out to allow to healing."

"I'm sorry I didn't call you when I got to Germany. I just couldn't put you through that as well. Honestly, I wasn't sure if you had moved on. If you had, I didn't want to interrupt that. I prepared myself for the thought that you had entered into a new relationship and possibly remarried. I hoped you hadn't but I wouldn't have blamed you."

"Les, there is no other for me. You have my heart and soul. I didn't see myself entering into another relationship. You are it for me."

Lester kissed my temple and breathed deep. "God, I missed you."

Ranger and Vince looked at us and stood up. "I think we'll get going and leave you three alone for the rest of the night." Ranger looked at me and then at Quin. "I probably know the answer, but I will ask anyway. Do you want Quin to stay the night with me so you two can have some alone time?"

"No. Thank you for the offer, Ranger, but I'd like to have both of my boys home with me tonight."

He nodded and rubbed Quin's back. "Steph, you are off for the next full week. Santos, you take all the time you want. Get reacquainted with your wife and get to know your son. When you are ready to come back, you have a job."

"Thanks, man. For everything."

I carefully stood up with Quin and started to head into the house. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I need to put Quin down. Poor baby is exhausted."

Lester stood up and followed me. "Can I help you?"

I nodded to him and smiled. "I'd like that." We walked upstairs to Quin's room and I laid him in his crib. Lester looked around Quin's room and stopped on the picture hanging on the wall.

"How…when did…." He looked at me with confusion in his eyes. "How?"

I walked over to Les and wrapped my arms around him from behind, and laid my head on his back. "Ranger made the picture and hung it in my office. I liked it so much I had him print another one so I could put it in Quin's room."

"That explains a lot."

"What do you mean?"

Lester turned around and kissed my forehead. "When I walked out back and he looked up at me, he knew instantly who I was, and he had no reservations about coming to me."

"That is because I've made sure he saw your picture and heard stories about you every day. I didn't want him growing up not knowing you."

Lester hugged me to him and rested his chin on my head. "Thank you."

We walked to our bedroom and sat on the bed. I took off my shoes and pants, and crawled up the bed towards the pillows. I was exhausted on my feet and just wanted to lie for a few minutes. Lester did the same, and slid up the bed next to me, his arm wrapping me up and pulling me close to him.

We laid there holding each other for a few minutes before we both drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, the bed was empty. _Shit. Did I dream he came home?_ I got out of bed, and went to check on Quin. When I walked into his bedroom, I stopped and watched. Lester was sitting in the rocking chair with Quin's head on his shoulder.

I stood in the doorway watching as my husband kept his eyes closed and rocked our son. That was a sight I never thought I'd see. Lester must have felt my presence and he opened his eyes.

"What's his full name?" Lester turned his head slightly and kissed Quin's head.

"I wasn't sure what I wanted to name him when he was born. I knew we had talked about Joaquin Michael and Mateo Christopher. It took me a few hours to finally come up with what I hoped you would have been proud of: Joaquin Mateo Santos."

Les looked at me and smiled. "I love it. I think it fits him."

"Most everyone calls him Quin. Daddy calls him Joaquin and Tank calls him Quinny."

"Your dad still live above the garage?"

"Yes. After we were told you and Vince were dead, he almost moved in here, but I already had Ram and Bobby living here."

"Why were they living here? What was wrong?" Les started to get concerned and Quin started to move around.

"It's okay. During one of my visits, the doctor said I was starting to go into early labor and he didn't want me alone, so they both moved in here. Hell, they just finally moved out about two months ago. They were afraid to leave me alone, but I think they also didn't want to miss time with Quin."

Lester's face turned sad and I knew what he was thinking. "It's not your fault. And I have everything in a scrapbook so you can see his first year."

"I'd like to see it. I wish things would have been different. I tried, Beautiful. I really tried to get out of there."

I walked over and kneeled down in front of him. "I know you did, Les. And now that you're home, we can be that family."

LSLSLSLSLSLS

Epilogue ~ 1 year later

"Push, Beautiful. Come on, you can do it."

"Fuck you, Lester. You think this is easy, you fucking do this shit. I quit." I fell back against the bed and wanted to sleep. I didn't want to do this anymore.

"Come, Stephanie, one more push for me." I looked at the doctor and glared…then the pain hit.

I pushed with everything I had and finally felt the pressure and pain release. One more push and I heard the scream.

"It's a girl!"

Lester looked over at me, smiled, and leaned down for a kiss. "I'm so proud of you, Baby. You did it."

I looked down at our daughter as she was placed on my chest. I had tears rolling down my face as I looked up at Lester. "She's beautiful."

Lester looked at me and our daughter. "Just like her mother."

"I named Quin, so you get to name her. What would you like?"

Lester looked at her and smiled. "I think she looks like a Sofia Michelle." He put his finger in her palm and she squeezed it. "Yeah, I think she likes Sofia."

* * *

><p><em>I'll be back in a week or so with Manny Reasons (Manny Monday's) and Forgotten (Forgotten Friday's). I hope you'll join me either for the first time, or for a re-read, of those stories. I should also have my website complete, up and running at that time! For those of you that remember Time to Heal, I've made that into an original and it will be up for sale as an e-book on my website as well as Time for Something New (how Stefani and Cougar met). So, be sure to check it out when it's up! Have a great Easter everyone!<em>


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